One of world's oldest books to raise $2.6M at auction
What's the story
One of the oldest books in existence, the Crosby-Schoyen Codex, is scheduled to be auctioned off later this year. Christie's, a renowned international auction house, anticipates that this early Christian liturgical manuscript could fetch a price exceeding $2.6 million (₹19,500,000) The auction event is slated for June 11 in London.
Manuscript details
'Crosby-Schoyen Codex': A glimpse into early Christianity
Crosby-Schoyen Codex, comprising 52 leaves or 104 pages, is believed to have been written by a single scribe over four decades in an upper Egyptian monastery. Carbon dating suggests that the book was created between the mid-3rd and 4th centuries. The codex contains the first epistle of Peter and the Book of Jonah, serving as an early testament to the spread of Christianity.
Valuation
Codex's preservation and projected auction price
The Crosby-Schoyen Codex is meticulously preserved behind plexiglass and stored in two lockable wooden boxes. Christie's has estimated its selling price to range from $2.6 million (₹19,500,000) to $3.8 million (₹31,70,84,160). The codex forms part of the Bodmer Papyri collection, discovered in the 1950s, which includes biblical texts, Christian writings, and pagan literary works.
Ownership
Codex's ownership history and current custodian
The University of Mississippi was once the custodian of the codex until 1981. The manuscript changed hands multiple times during the 1980s before being acquired by Norwegian manuscript collector Martin Schoyen in 1988. It is currently the oldest known book held privately, forming part of The Schoyen Collection, described by Christie's as "one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of manuscripts ever assembled."
Significance
Codex's historical and religious significance
Eugenio Donadoni, a senior specialist for books and manuscripts at Christie's in London, emphasized the codex's historical importance as one of the earliest witnesses to a development in cultural and textual transmission. He also highlighted its religious significance as a testament to the earliest spread of Christianity around the Mediterranean. Despite some fragmented pages, Christie's describes the condition of the codex as "exceptional."