What does an astronomical tax bill, Leonardo da Vinci, and an American oil tycoon have in common? The story unfolds on this day in 1980.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) wore many hats. He is probably best known as a painter with his most famous works being The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. Da Vinci, though, was also a man of concepts beyond what was technologically possible. He developed detailed drawings for flying machines, an armored vehicle, solar power, as well as discoveries in engineering, anatomy, biology, geology, and hydrodynamics. This was all in the 15th – 16th centuries. His drawings and ideas filled nearly 30 books.
“In 1717, Thomas Coke, the first earl of Leicester, bought the manuscript and installed it among his impressive collection of art at his family estate in England. More than two centuries later, the notebook—by now known as the Leicester Codex—showed up on the auction block at Christie’s in London when the current Lord Coke was forced to sell it to cover inheritance taxes on the estate and art collection.”1 The auction took place on this day 44 years ago.
American oil tycoon Armand Hammer was ready to scoop up this historical treasure and add it to his personal collection. Hammer got quite a steal! He paid $5,126,000 for the masterpiece. Hammer was extremely pleased with his purchase while Lord Coke was only mildly pleased, saying this amount would not cover the back taxes he owed. Imagine that!
At this point, the da Vinci book, now known as the Hammer Codex, was the highest grossing auctioned manuscript. The Gutenberg Bible had only sold for $2 million. In 1994, the price of the da Vinci piece was going to experience some inflation.
Hammer died in 1990 and left his art collection to the Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Cultural Center at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). “Several years later, the museum offered the manuscript for sale, claiming it was forced to take this action to cover legal costs incurred when the niece and sole heir of Hammer’s late wife, Frances, sued the estate claiming Hammer had cheated Frances out of her rightful share of his fortune. On November 11, 1994, the Hammer Codex was sold to an anonymous bidder–soon identified as Bill Gates, the billionaire founder of Microsoft–at a New York auction for a new record high price of $30.8 million. Gates restored the title of Leicester Codex.”2
While da Vinci’s work might be valuable by man’s standards, nobody has ever been able to fully ascribe the correct value of God’s Holy Word, the Bible. Psalms 19:7-11 says, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure,
making wise the simple. (8) The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. (9) The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. (10) More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. (11) Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.”
In Proverbs 3:13-15, we read, “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. (14) For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. (15) She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.”
The Bible is a treasure map to its own treasure. The more we search the Scriptures and glean the gems of truth, the richer we become. God’s wisdom is found in the pages, just waiting on us to put in a little bit of effort to dig out the truths. And, even if we have been digging for 50 years or more, we will still never discover even half of the “unsearchable riches of Christ.”
“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever… (162) I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.” (Psalms 119:160, 162)
1https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/da-vinci-notebook-sells-for-over-5-million
2Ibid.
Images are taken from https://pixabay.com/, https://www.pexels.com/, or https://unsplash.com/images or created in Windows Copilot. According to the websites, they are Royalty Free and free to be used for our purposes.
