How Peter Kidd Promoted the Destruction of the De Roucy Hours: His Collaboration with Manuscript Biblioclast Peter Kiefer

In 2009, German antiquarian Peter Kiefer initiated the systematic dismemberment of the Book of Hours of Louis de Roucy — an intact, richly illuminated 15th-century manuscript —, cutting the codex into individual leaves and miniatures for commercial gain.

Within months, the first dismembered folia appeared at auction in Germany (Reiss & Sohn; Hartung & Hartung). From there, a second figure entered the scene: Peter Kidd, blogger and freelance manuscript consultant. Under the guise of “documenting” provenance on his blog mssprovenance, Kidd in fact played a key commercial role in the manuscript’s destruction.

Evidence published by Prof. Carla Rossi (Studj Romanzi XVIII, 2022; The Book of Hours of Louis de Roucy, 2022–2023) shows that Kidd:

• Collaborated directly with Peter Kiefer, serving as intermediary for certain high-value leaves;

• Authored auction catalogue entries for miniatures sold at Sotheby’s;

• Promoted the dismembered folia on his blog mssprovenance, where he selectively cited sales while omitting any condemnation of Kiefer’s actions;

• Maintained contact with collectors and auctioneers, facilitating the passage of leaves from private hands to major commercial platforms.

While Peter Kiefer physically dismembered the manuscript, Peter Kidd provided the narrative, visibility, and academic cover that enabled the leaves to be laundered into legitimate markets. Without Kidd’s involvement, the cultural and monetary value of the individual folia would have been significantly lower.

The OProM unequivocally denounces this collaboration and urges cultural institutions, libraries, and scholarly networks to re-evaluate their associations with individuals who participate in or enable the destruction of manuscript heritage.

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