Don of Tallahassee,
I unfortunately won't get to see your images, but I will say that the bear paws you see in You are not allowed to view links.
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Login to view. is something I have long believed myself. Some have also seen lion paws but... I like the bear better.
Why might bear paws make sense as a first page illustration?
Because in medieval times in the alpine region, it was a custom for villagers to offer several bear paws as a yearly tribute to the lords of the land. So to begin a manuscript with three bear paws may be a reflection of this tradition, perhaps as a dedication of some sort.
Sources for anyone interested in further reading:
Pastoureau,
L'ours, histoire d'un roi dechu
Androelli & Montanari,
L'orso nella cultura nobiliare dall'Historia augusta a Chrétien de Troyes : Il bosco nel medioevo.