Believed to Be Among the Oldest Texts in Existence
A rare and ancient manuscript, the Crosby-Schøyen Codex, is set to be auctioned by Christie’s in June. The codex is thought to have originated from one of the earliest Christian monasteries in Egypt around 250-350 AD.
Rich Historical and Religious Significance
The Crosby-Schøyen Codex, valued between $2.8 million to $3.8 million, is a significant piece as it marks the transition from papyrus scrolls to the codex form of books. Christie’s senior specialist for books and manuscripts, Eugenio Donadoni, highlighted, “So, books as we know them today. And what we have in this book is the earliest known texts of two books of the Bible.”
Contents and Provenance
The codex, comprising 104 pages written in Coptic on papyrus over a 40-year period, features the complete texts of two Bible books – the first epistle of Peter and the Book of Jonah. It is part of the Bodmer Papyri discovered in the 1950s. The University of Mississippi originally owned the manuscript until it was acquired by Dr. Martin Schøyen, a Norwegian collector, in 1988.
Extensive Collection and Auction Details
Dr. Schøyen is now putting the Crosby-Schøyen Codex up for auction along with other pieces from his collection, spanning 1,300 years of cultural history. The auction will feature other notable manuscripts such as the Holkham Hebrew Bible and the Geraardsbergen Bible. The valuable collection will be on display in Paris before the auction on June 11 in London. Christie’s New York currently hosts the codex until April 9.