ARISTOTLE
Organon [Greek])
Venice, B. Zanetti 1536. Sm.-8vo. (282) lvs. Repeated printer's woodcut device. Contemporary vellum (browned, soiled, edges rubbed, spine renewed [18th century], title on spine. Early edition in the original Greek; very rare. During late Greco-Roman times it was usual to combine the logical writings of Aristotle ("Categoriae", "De interpretatione", the two analytic writings as well as the works concerning dialectical conclusions ["Topica"] and deception ["Sophistici elenchi"]) together under one heading "Organon" ( = "Tool"); this term was derived from Aristotle's ideas that Logic was an aid to science, but not a discipline in its own right. "...during the later period of antiquity and the middle ages ... one studied Aristotelian Logic in what had become a standard arrangement " (DNP 1, Sp. 1138). Newer free end-papers. First gatherings damp-stained or water-marked, otherwise slightly browned throughout and minor spotting. A good copy. IA 107.954 (incompl.); Hoffmann I, 277; Schweiger I, 53; PCCBI 6.5547 (2 copies, incompl.); NUC 20 / 663.
Order no.: 138 / 2200,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P])
Delivery time: Domestic: 2-5 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / EU: 3-6 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / Europe: 3-7 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / World 10-21 working days (S), 5 -10 working days (P)
ARISTOTLE
In hoc volumine haec continentur...De historia animalium libri IX. De partibus animalium & earum causis libri IIII. De generatione animalium libri V. Theodoro Gaza interprete. De communi animalium gressu liber I. De communi animalium motu liber I. Petro Alcyonio interprete...
Paris, Simon de Colines 1533.
Folio. (36) lvs., 101 lvs., (1) leaf (blank); (10), 42; (10), 53, (3), 13 lvs. Lacking the last blank leaf. With a large rinter's device ("Tempus" device 2 [see Renouard p. 104] and numerous woodcut initials.
Contemporary calf (splitting and rubbed, the edges, foot and head of spine have been repaired, upper hinge torn) with some blind-stamping and gold embossed ownership mark on both covers.
Second Colines edition, and simultaneously the 2nd edition of the zoological writings of Aristotle in this compactness and completeness. Schweiger and Hoffmann record a Colines edition in 1522 (apart of those in 1524 and 1533) but that one seems to be a mistake: verifiable in 1522 is only an edition with Aristotle's ethical works by Colines.
With the issue of the collected works presented here Aristotle (384 - 322 B.C..) can be considered "The founder of biology and ... first of all Zoologists". There is a wide variety of themes, as shown from the following titles: "The origination of animals", "the history [actually types] of animals", "The motion of animals.", "Anatomy ...." The fact that Aristotle left the research into botany to his friend and pupil, Theophrast, resulted in the first three works of Aristotle generally being issued together with the works of Theophrastos in the Incunabula editions and in numerous editions throughout the 16th century and only relatively later on were the zoological works of the philosopher issued together. Title recto and verso with owner's markings (the recto partly removed using sharp knife, causing small holes in the paper). Later end-papers (original vellum strips preserved). Title recto and verso with ownership entries (recto party erased causing paper defects without touching text / device).
Free end-papers, margins of title, first leaves and last leaf with paper defects due to humidity; outer corner of 1 leaf teared off. Slightly browned, margins in places soiled (title more intensively).
Cranz 107.938 (4 copies); Renouard (Col) S. 204 (5 more copies); Schreiber (Col) 96; Schweiger I, 58; Hoffmann I, 330; BMSTC (French Books) 25 (incompl.); NUC 20, 606 (3 copies.); neither with Adams nor with PCCBI.
Order no.: 178 / 1900,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P])
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AUTORITATES ARESTOTELIS (!)
Senece. Boetij Platonis. Aculei. Africani Porphyrij et Gilberti Porritani denuo summa cum diligentia recise et correcte.
(Cologne, Quentel) 1503. 8vo. (52) lvs. (of 53: lacking 1st leaf with title, woodcut and the beginning of the preface). 19th century wrappers (spine and edges pale). Very rare. A collection of quotations of classical authors (mostly Aristotle); those collections have been printed often between 1490 and 1510 by different printing offices, our is the second one by Quentel. Provenance: Auction J. Baer (Frankfurt am Main) in 1932 since then in a privat collection. 19th century fly-leaves. Slightly browned throughout (the margins more heavily); internally a well preserved copy. Cranz/Schmitt 107.711 (2 copies only); VD 16, A 4030 (5 complete copies); Adams A 1961 (writes 54 lvs.: + 1 blank one at the end).
Order no.: 183 / 1900,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P])
Delivery time: Domestic: 2-5 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / EU: 3-6 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / Europe: 3-7 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / World 10-21 working days (S), 5 -10 working days (P)
BEDA (VENERABILIS)
Homiliae ... hyemales et quadragesimales de tempore ac de sanctis, nunc primum summa diligentia restitutae & in luce aeditae.
(Cologne) J. Gymnich 1534. 8vo. (16) pp. (2nd blank), 351 pp., (1) p. (blank). Woodcut device (Heitz/Z. no. 96) and initials. (BOUND WITH:) BEDA (VENERABILIS) Homiliae aestivales de tempore & de sanctis. Cologne, J. Gymnich 1534. 8vo. 403 pp. (2nd blank), (9) pp. (last blank), (2) lvs. (blank). Woodcut title border and device (penultimate leaf verso / Heitz/Z. no. 95). (BOUND WITH:) BEDA (VENERABILIS): Homiliae ... in D. Pauli epistolas & alias veteris & novi testamenti lectiones tam de tempore quam de sanctis, ut per totum annum in templis leguntur, nunc primum excusae. Cologne, J. Gymnich 1535. 8vo. (24) pp., pp. 3 - 317, (1) p. (blank). Woodcut printer's device (Heitz/Z. no. 96).
Contemp. blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (a number of worm holes, 1 corner defective), 2 spine labels and two original clasps.
Three scarce first editions in 1 volume.
The title border of the second text is a work by Anton Woensam of Worms (Merlo no. 411).
Bede or Beda Venerabilis (the venerable, 672/3 - 735) was one of the most important theologians of the early middle ages. His theological works, to which the present series of sermons belongs, were marked by their high authority. He was influential through his presentation of the history of the anglo-saxon church and as a result of a work on chronology; it was this work which helped to establish the term AD (Anno Domini).
The front cover of the binding is divided into five panels. Top and bottom, two horizontal panels from right to left. Between these are three vertical panels of roughly the same size. In this central part: interspersed with rosettes are a woman with winged helmet, a woman with bonnet and a vase between. The floral, intertwined pattern of the left and right panel strips are repeated in the top and botton panels. Each panel has a ruled double-line frame. The rear cover is similarly decorated but the roll work of the woman with helmet is lacking here. Assignation of the binding is not possible: the EBDB does have a similar roll work under "Meister des Sixt Birck" from Augsburg, but it is not identical. Lacking fly leaves. Fore-edge title. To old entries to title, one of them dated "1538".
Throughout with worm holes (loss of letters), light browning.
I: IA 115.626; VD 16, B 1430; neither in Adams nor in BL (Online-Cat.). II: IA 115.625; VD 16, B 1431; neither in Adams nor in BL (Online-Cat.). III: IA 115.631; VD 16, B 1434; Adams B 458; not in BL (Online-Cat.).
Order no.: 627 / 2700,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P])
Delivery time: Domestic: 2-5 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / EU: 3-6 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / Europe: 3-7 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / World 10-21 working days (S), 5 -10 working days (P)
BOCCACCIO, Giovanni.
Le Philocope de Messire Iehan Boccacce Florentin, Contenat l'histoire de Fleury & Blanchefleur, divise en sept livres traduictz d'italien en francoys par Adrian Sevin Gentilhomme de la maison de Monsieur de Gié.
(Paris, D. Janot for) Gilles Corrozet, (February, 24th) 1542. Folio. VI, CLXXIIII leaves. With - repetitions included -36 text woodcuts (one nearly full-page) all surrounded by a varying border (partly decorated with coats of arms), some "lettres fleuries" initials by G. Tory (cf. Mortimer ) and few "Crible " initials. Woodcut printer's device. A magnificent, signed heraldic binding by the famous Paris bookbinder Gruel from the last quarter of the 19th century in an excellent state of preservation, with polychromatic Moroccan ribbon marquetry, abundant gilding of spine, cover, bottom and inside edges as well as gold-embossed spine title; three-side gilt-edging. In a later shift (broad spine of brown, napped leather with gold-embossed spine title [thumbed, somewhat faded], cover done in marbled paper, suede-lined [the lining slightly stained] and in a half-leather slipcase with identical cover (slightly thumbed, edges somewhat flattened). First edition of Sevin's translation. Denys Janot organized this edition under his own name and for various Paris bookshops (cf. the corresponding entry in the Ind. Aurel. ), whose own signets and sales notes were then imprinted. Thus our specimen bears the Corrozet-signet on the title page (v. Renouard 206) and the note : "On les vend à Paris en la grand Salle du Pa1ais du costé de 1a chapelle de messieurs, en 1a boutique de Gilles Corrozet Libraire." This signet makes the book - which is extremely rare anyhow - a top rarity , not accounted for in the relevant bibliographies / catalogues. The woodcuts derive from Janot's edition of the first books of "Amadis de Gaula" of 1540 (cf. Brun and Mortimer), but partly they were made earlier (thus one border is dated "1520"). The borders frequently bear foliage ornaments, and a whole series of them shows grotesque faces and heraldic shields. Brun writes about the "Amadis" woodcuts as a whole: "L'Amadis des Gaules dont le premier livre parut en 1540, est orné de vignettes qui offrent au lecteur une suite de charmant petits tableaux. Certaines sont d'un dessin si parfait et d'une taille si adroite qu'on ne peut s'empêcher de songer aux gravures de Lützelburger d'après Holbein. Ici, le style, les proportions des personnages, les physionomies, tout enfin est différent et accuse la main d'un artiste français, mais la mâitrise est presque égale " (p.68), and generally on Janot's and Corrozet's importance (p.64 / 65) : " Ce fut le role de trois imprimeurs, Denis Janot, Etienne Groulleau et Gilles Corrozet, de répandre a profusion, sous un format commode, de petits textes classiques ou des livrets abondamment illustrés. Leurs vignettes élégantes et spirituelles, transmises ou copiées d'atelier en atelier, interprétées par les ciseleurs, les peintres verriers, les émailleurs et les fayenciers, contribuèrent pour une grande part a fixer les nouvelles formules décoratives...". The "Filocolo" is Boccaccio's first prose work, started in 1340 in Naples at "Fiametta's" instigation. Its central motif are the perilous journeys and trave1s of Florio, son of the pagan Spanish King Felice in Verona, throughout the Mediterranean region, searching for his first love Biancifiore. Boccaccio thus created the very first prose novel of Italian literature; his material takes Floire et B1ancheflor as a model, a novel that had been written in France in the middle of the 12th century and was read all over Europe. Another model were the novels of Chrétien de Troyes, who inspired Boccaccio to the second main motif of his novel: the psychology of the main characters. "In this respect Chrétien was for the self-taught Boccaccio - after some first psychological beginnings in Ovid -the most important example of psychological prose at that time. Boccaccio seems to have been the first to take up Chrétien's methods consciously, always striving to create a distance to the trite prose narrations of the popular ‘Volgarizzamenti' by endowing his characters with refinement and subtlety. Not least owing to these ana1ytical efforts of the young author, his early novel includes the motifs of the "quest" in the novel of character development: Florio's long and taxing odyssey in his search for his mistress also has the aspect of an education for life through life, so that at long last he is able - in the novel's happy final scene that meets the beginning in a full circle - to succeed his father, King Felice, to the throne as an educated prince, matured in character and humanity and even converted to Christianity" (Hardt p. 151/Transl.). The lavishly equipped Moroccan leather binding bears in the middle of both covers the coat of arms of Henri IV (1553 -1610) in an oval cartouche with the French heraldic shield (on a blue background) and that of Navarre (on red) together with three crowns: the two small ones representing France and Navarre, and the big one symbolizing the union (v. J. Guigard, Nouvelle Armorial du Bibliophile. Paris 1890. p. 20). The heraldic shields and the small crowns are enclosed by delicate foliage. Crown as well as tendrils are gold-embossed, the colours of the escutcheons are subtly repeated in the big crown. The coats of arms are surrounded by a network of partly geometrical, partly floral and ornamental polychromatic ribbons (in beige, brown, ruby and red) in Grolier-style, ending at top and bottom in a bigger grotesque, and below four corner vignettes in a smaller one each (in beige the bigger, in brown the smaller ones). The fields between the stripes are gold-embossed with "Crible" dots. The cover decor is predominantly worked in leather marquetry. This binding in mock-historical style follows the tradition of "reliure adaptée au texte", a speciality of the Gruel studio (cf. R. Devauchelle, La reliure en France de ses origines a nos jours. Paris 1961. Vol. II, pp.34ff.).The above term would have to be extended with the top products from this workshop to "reliure adaptée au texte et aux illustrations", as in these cases the bookbinder extended his historical approach to elements of the artistic illustration of the book: Thus in our example the "Crible" - initials correlate with the corresponding cover decor, Henri's IV coats-of-arms correspond with the (fancy) heraldry of the woodcut borders, and this correlation continues right through to details of motif in the Bourbon fleur-de-lis or the crowns. The covers show floral corner vignettes unfolding in a fan shape, and these also reappear in the lines of several borders; the same applies to the grotesques and the floral elements. Thus the book with its illustrations and the cover binding form an integral artistic unity. The binding The binding has a 16th century model: The marvellous dedication binding of the French Bible for King Henri IV, made in 1588 by an anonymous binder at Geneva (see Hobson, G.D.: Une reliure aux armes d'Henri III. A la Bibliothèque National. In: Les Trésors des Bibliothéques de France. Tome III. Paris 1930. p. 247- 259; particularely p.. 149 ff. with plate II. Schunke,I.: Der Genfer Bucheinband des XVI. Jahrhunderts und der Meister der französischen Königsbände. In: Jahrbuch der Einbandkunst IV (1937), p. 37 - 64; particularely p. 51 ff. [with image of the dedication binding for Henri IV]). Ex-libris. A carefully cleaned copy; title still with old and very faded entries. Throughout evenly somewhat browned, in places with faint mildew or brown spots. Some woodcuts slightly paler in imprint. Few sheets with surface irregularities in the bottom outer corner, due to the process of paper-making. Altogether a very clean specimen of this rarity. IA 120.290 (only 7 copies!); NUC 62/473 (3 more copies); Mortimer (French Books) 105; Brunet I, 1014 und Suppl. I, 142; Cioranescu 20705; BMSTC (French Books) 71; Omont (Janot) 125; Brun S. 158 (if there is mentioned a printer it is only Janot).
Order no. 628 / 34000,00 EUR
[Medieval chronicles, old bindings, first editions]
CICERO, Marcus Tullius
Opera quae aedita sunt hactenus omnia, in tomos distincta quatuor, ad diversorum & vetustissimorum codicum collationem ingeni cura recognita ... quorum tomus primus rhetorica, oratoria et forensia (- secundus tomus orationes - tertius tomus opera epistolica - quartus tomus opera philosophica) continet... Ad haec, Rerum & verborum Index omnium locuplentissimus & castigatissimus, cim Annotationibus variarum lectionum.
Basle, Herwagen 1534. Four parts in two volumes. Folio (364 x 240 mm). (8) pp. (2nd blank), 318 pp., (1) leaf (blank); (8) pp. (2nd blank), 595 pp., (1) p. (blank); (12) pp., 418 pp., (1) leaf (blank); (20) pp., 403 pp., (1) p. (blank), (60) lvs. 9 woodcut devices (3 different ones)and many woodcut initials. Two uniform bindings: Contemp. blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (intensively rubbed, edges, corners, head and tail of spines restored, some soiling) from the workshop of the Wittenberg binder Franz Lind(e)ner with a roll dated "1536"; 4 original clasps, 2 later spine labels. Following Schweiger it is the fifth edition of Cicero's complete works. Thus complete very rare. The contents: Part I: Rhetoric works and a vita after Livius; part II: Speeches; part III: letters; part IV: philosophical works, an extensive version of Cicero's vita, annotations and the index. The cover decoration shows a rectangular central panel which is filled with two sets of floral roll work set to be mirror images to each other. These are surrounded by a roll of figures ("Justici[a], Lucrecia, Pruden[tia], [Suavitas]" = Haebler Nr. 2) dated to 1536. Adjacent to this is a narrow frame (a double border horizontally) with rosettes with this, in turn, being surrounded by roll work with more figures (Salvator ["Data est mihi ois"] - David ["De fructu ven"] - Jesaias ["Sup Solium Dav"] - Johannes ["Ecce Agn Die"] = Haebler Nr. 4, EBDB r002402); the roll work is signed by the binder (F L) and by the engraver (MA); the binding therefore originated from the Wittenberg bookbinder Franz Lind(e)ner. Around this there are two borders with plant motifs: horizontally the same decoration as in the central panel; vertically the pattern is more stylistic and with rosettes. Literature to these illustrations can be found in Haebler I, S. 260/261; EBDB w004031 (the descriptions refer to Haebler 3 and 4, the other illustrations being so poor in quality that identification is impossible). Both volumes each have two small Exlibris of the same previous owners on the front flyleaf. Endpapers of Vol. 1 recto and verso have manuscript notes and the rear endpaper is lacking; Vol. 2 lacks endpapers and the rear flyleaf on inside cover with early handwritten notes. Both vols. reinforced at joints with vellum leaves. Vol.I: 17th century ownership entry (partially erased) to title recto, first c. 40 lvs. with marginalia; slightly browned throughout (6 lvs. more intensively). Vol. II: Several short entries to title, c. 35 lvs. with marginalia in Greek. Slightly browned throughout (some lvs. more intensively), last 2 lvs. with ink stain. Both vols. well margined and well preserved; in the original status. IA 137.908; VD 16, C 2815; Schweiger II, p. 103; Ebert 4254; thus not in Adams; no complete copy in BL (Online-Cat.).
sold
Petrus DASYPODIUS
Dictionarium latinogermanicum ...
Strasbourg, Wendelin Rihel 1536 (colophon: 1537).
4to. (4), 488 (of 489) lvs. (lacking leaf no. 326), lacking the last leaf (without pagination, recto blank, verso printer's device).
Contemp. blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (rubbed, rear board with leather defect to a corner, small tear to spine), remains of a spine label, 2 clasps.
Early edition.
Petrus Dasypodius (c. 1490 Frauenfeld/Swizzerland – 1559 Strasbourg), Conrad Dasypodius‘ (mathematician and famous editor of Euclid) father, started his professional career as a preacher at Frauenfels and Zürich and continued it in Strasbourg from 1533. First time in 1535 he published a German-Latin College Dictionary (later expanded by a Latin-German part). It is considered to be a fundamental lexicographic work (see A. Hartmann in: NDB 3, p. 529 / Online-version).
Front paste-down endpaper and title recto with many handwritten entries (one from 1584) and ink strokes. Lacking free endpapers. Slightly browned throughout and some brown-staining (mostly to margins). A few annotations with ink.
Muller: Wendelin Rihel 10. Thus not in VD 16 (the collation corresponds to D 246, but VD 16 mentions 1537 as date of printing / in the colophon 1538). Neither in Adams nor in BMSTC (German Books).
sold
[Old bindings, lexicographic works]
[Old bindings, lexicography, multilingualism]
[Old bindings, incunabula, illuminated books, ecclesiastical history, corpus iuris canonici]
DIONYSIOS Periegetes - POMPONIUS MELA - (Pseudo-)AETHICUS - SOLINUS.
Dionysii Alex(andrini) et Pomp(onii) Melae Situs orbis descriptio. Aethetici Cosmographia. C.I. Solini Polyistor. I Dionysii poematium Commentarii Eustathii : Interpretatio eiusdem poematii ad verbum, ab Henr. Stephano scripta...In Melam Annotationes Ioannis Oliuarii...
(Geneva), Henricus Stephanus 1577. 4to. (4) lvs., 158 pp., (8) lvs.; (4) lvs., 47 pp., (1) p. (blank); 152 pp. Printer's device. Contemporary flexible vellum (browned, soiled, tear to spine) with spine label. In 1547 a Dionysius-Edition appeared in Paris under Robert Estienne, which in this edition was considerably expanded by his son; thus in the combination with Mela and Solinus first edition (the Eustathius-Text first appeared in the R. Estienne edition of 1547, the cosmography of Aethicus, a pseudonym, is more commonly found together with the Dionysius work). Dionysios Periegetes came from Alexandria and wrote his Orbis descriptio at the time of Hadrian. This geographical work in verse form was widely read up until the 19th century, The high regard that it was held in in the Middle Ages is seen, for example, through the extensive commentary provided by Eustathius. In the middle of the first century after Christ, Pomponius Mela wrote what is the oldest extant Roman geographical work; this was intensively adopted during the early renaissance (Boccaccio, Petrarca). The Cosmography, issued under the name of Aethicus is probably the work of a writer of the 8th century, and who was close to the court historiographers of the early Carolingian period. Solinus (3. A.D.) compiled a collection of peculiarities very similar to that of Plinius. Free end-paper with hand-written entries. Slightly browned throughout, the outer margins minor stained. Provenance: Lassberg library; Court Library Donaueschingen. Renouard/Est. 145, 5; Hoffmann I, 592; Schweiger I, 101; Adams D 648; IA 154.294.
Order no. 629 / EUR 1800,00
FULGENTIUS von RUSPE.
Opera...in vetustißimo codice conscripta, nuper apud Germanos inventa ... nunc denuo impressa. Item opera Maxentii Johannis, pulcra vetustatis monumenta, in eodem codice reperta.
Cologne, Alopecius for Hittorp 1526. Two works in 1 vol. 8vo. 4 lvs., (1) p., 414 pp., (1) p. (blank); 3 lvs., 148 pp. With 2 woodcut borders by Anton Woensam. Very well preserved and richly blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (slightly rubbed, spine overpainted with grey oil-based paint), 2 clasps. Second edition. The texts of the two ecclesiastical authors of the 5th/6th century are based on Pirckheimer's manuscript finds in Trithemius' unpublished works and they were edited by Pirckheimer and J.Cochläus: In the first edition of 1520 as in the second one in question Pirckheimer signs as editor of the Fulgentius works, Cochläus as editor of Maxentius' books. Above all Fulgentius (467-probably 532 AD) belongs to the important theologians of the 5th/6th century; he was descended from Carthaginian nobility and from 507 onwards bishop in Ruspe / Tunesia ("one of the most eminent authors of the Latin church around 525" [Pauly 8, 214]).His writings against Arian and Pelagian opponents of Augustine were so efficient, that Petrus Lombardus, in his commentary of maxims, quotes Fulgentius' main work "De fide Petrum" under Augustine's name. Fulgentius' books first showed their effectiveness above all in Spain (Isidor of Sevi1le mentions him in "De viris i1lustribus" ), but later also in Italy and Middle Europe. Whenever questions about predestination flared up, the writings of the North African bishop became the centre of discussion ( e.g. with Hinkmar of Reims, with the Jansenists etc.). The fine and well preserved binding bears on the front cover a plate with the Electorate of Saxony coat of arms, surrounded by a roll-stamp of heads, warriors and emperors (with helmet or laurel wreath), separated from each other by a vase and foliage. The rear cover shows the same roll, this time surrounding a plate with the Brandenburg coat of arms. Both plates are initialled "GG". Haebler (1,142/3) attributes these initials to a bookbinder's workshop active at about 1560-1580, Rabenau (No.32) places them in the environment of Krause and in the Brandenburg region. Rabenau displayed and described the roll-stamp and mentioned the Brandenburg plate, Haebler mentioned the Saxony Electorate plate. 1 joint somewhat broken, 1st title with some soiling and on lower margin with a small loss of paper (restored, not affecting text / woodcut), the last lvs. slightly water-marked, a very light browning throughout, otherwise well preserved. VD 16, F 3356; BMSTC (German Books) 327; Adams F 1137.
Order no.: 636 1100,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P])
Delivery time: Domestic: 2-5 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / EU: 3-6 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / Europe: 3-7 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / World 10-21 working days (S), 5 -10 working days (P)
GELLI, Giovanbatista
La sporta. Comedia.
Florence, Giunta 1566. Sm.- 8vo. 86 pp., (1) leaf (blank). Printer's device on title. 18th century leather (very slightly rubbed, spine faded). Very rare reprint of the 1550-Giunta-edition (ed. princeps: 1543). "Ghiridoro di Macci, demolendo un vecchio casolare, trova una sporta piena di danari. Nel timore che gli venga sottratta, egli cambia continuamente nascondiglio al suo piccolo tesoro. Innamorato, anzi amante della figlia del vecchio e un giovane di belle speranze e di poca moneta, Alamanno Cavicciuoli, nipote di Lapo, ricco ed anziano signore. Proprio Lapo concepisce il desiderio di sposare la giovane, che è in procinto di partorire un figlio all'amante. Ghirigoro accorda, naturalmente, la figlia al vecchio, e in un nuovo accesso di paura cambia ancora posto alla vecchia sporta. Ma questa volta viene sorpreso e Franzino gli porta via il danaro per la gioia sua e del suo padrone. Mentre la ragazza da alla luce un bel maschietto e Lapo rinuncia a lei e alla idea di prender moglie, la sporta ritorna nelle mani del suo ritrovatore per essere immediatamente assegnata come dote alla bella figliola, che diventa la legittima consorte di Alamanno..." (Mango p. 122). Slim upper margins. Title and last leaf with some foxing, otherwise slighly browned throughout but clean. Decio/Delfiol/Cam. 379; Pettas p. 245; Russo 273; Corrigan p. 44; Clubb 454; Gamba 497; not in Adams, BMSTC (Italian Books).
Order no.: 168 / 680,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P])
Delivery time: Domestic: 2-5 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / EU: 3-6 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / Europe: 3-7 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / World 10-21 working days (S), 5 -10 working days (P)
HERODIANUS
(Greek:)Historion biblia e. Marci filio ad Maximum usque et Albinum Imperatores, historiarum lib. VIII.
Basle, Waldner (c. 1535). 16mo. (1) l., 441 pp. Contemporary blind-stamped calf over wooden boards (rubbed, spine defective), 2 clasps. 4th Greek edition, 1st in Basel. Herodianus (b. around 180 AD) possibly originated from the Syrian Antiochia. His history comprises the era from 180AD (death of Marc Aurel) to 238 AD (autocracy of Gordian III). He is above all important because of his influence on the Roman historians of the 4th century AD (Aurelius Victor, Ammianus Marce1linus, Eutropius ) and also on the "Historia Augusta". The binding shows on both covers the portrait of a Saxon prince: on the front the Elector Johann with the subtext Principis hec vvltvs/ /imitatvr imago Joan(nis) (= This picture imitates the features of Prince Johannes) and on the rear cover Johann Ernst of Saxony, whose name appears in the subtext; the text itself is no longer completely legible, due to wear. The front plate is depicted and described in v. Rabenau, Bucheinbände der Renaissance, Nr.12 [here dated 1530], the second one is mentioned by Haebler (1,266) with J .Linck under No.X, with a different subtext. Linck was a court bookbinder in Anhalt and Saxony, according to Haebler his stamp material is documented between 1526 and 1547. In spite of the wear, traces of the original gilding have been preserved on both plates. Front type area with partly severed bookplate and hand-written registration notes, among others repeatedly the location number of the Lassberg Library. Throughout water-marked, first lvs. moulded. A few old marginalia. All over all a small but very attractive copy with an important provenance: Lassberg Library and Court Library Donaueschingen. VD 16, H 2495; Hoffmann II, 222; Schweiger I, 136; Hieron/ Griech. Geist 254; Adams H 380; BMSTC (German Books) 399.
Order no.: 148 / 1150,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P])
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HERODOT ( - Plethon)
(Greek:) logoi ennea ... Georgioy Gemistoy toy kai Plethonos ... biblia b ... Libri novem, ... ad haec Georgii Gemisti, qui et Pletho dicitur, ... libri II. Unà cum Ioachimi Camerarii Praefatione, Annotationibus, Herodoti vita: deque figuris & qua usus est Dialecto, omnia in studiosorum utilitatem diligenter conscripta.
Basle, Herwagen & Brand 1557.
Folio. (10) lvs., 310 pp., (1) leaf. With a large woodcut initial (leaf alpha 1 r) and printer's device (on last leaf verso, woodcut too).
Contemp. blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (a few stains, rear board with a small leather defect; 1 corner defective), dated (1563), and with monogram ("DH"); handwritten title to spine; without ties.
In Greek language the third edition of Herodotus and the fourth one of Phleton; the second by Herwagen.
Herodotus of Halikarnassos ( c. 485-424 BC), called by Cicero "the father of history writing", wrote his historical work mainly on the basis of oral tradition and own experience; hardly any written source could be found. Apart from the actual historical writings (e.g. above all of the Persian Wars) his books are of great importance also for the world outside Greece through numerous ethnographic and geographic digressions; obviously he gained substantial knowledge during extensive travelling. He is related to Sophokles in his basic religious attitude, which contained the recurrent motif of divine punishment for human hybris, and he was also his personal friend. For all his sympathy with Greek culture, however, he kept an objective distance and attempted to describe foreign populations without prejudice. The first edition was carried out in 1502 by Aldus, the next edition appeared 1541 with Herwagen, followed by the one at hand. Plethon (=Georgios Gemistos, 1360-1452), a Byzantine philosopher, attempted a Platonic heathen renaissance on the Peloponnese, especially in Mistra, aiming at a restoration of Greek civilization as a basis for resistance against the Ottomans. As a participant of the Ferrara Council (1438-39) he succeeded in persuading the Medici to establish a Platonic academy in Florence. His most important works comprise the study "On the difference between Plato and Aristotle", a history of Islam and a treatise on Zarathustra. The book in question deals with the time after the battle of Mantinea (defeat of Athens and her allies against Thebes 362 BC ) ; in this context Plethon deals with Plato's attempts to realize a state of philosophers on Sicily. The first edition was again organized by Aldus (as a supplement to Xenophon in 1503, in 1525 there was a title edition for Plethon only, followed by the two Herwagen editions with the Herodotus.
The very well preserved binding bears on each cover too plates: on the front Luther (with engraver's monogram "MV") and Melanchthon, on the rear one Justitia and Lucretia. The Luther and the Melanchthon plate are attributed to workshop of Hans Guttich in Königsberg by Haebler, the two on the rear boards to Michael Endner in Nuremberg (see Haebler I, p. 146 B VII + VIII and I, p. 106, B III + IV; EBDB w004284). The plates are surrounded vy several rolls, one with putti, the next one with Crucifiction, Announcement, Baptism and Resurrection (dated "1557" and with monogram "CG" = Conrad Georg or Caspar Genseler, both with workshop in Wittenberg / see Haebler I, p. 136 A2) and the third one with a friese of palm leaves (attributed to Michael Endner too ( see EBDB r 3223). Haebler quotes various examples for an exchange of stamp material among the Wittenberg bookbinders and colleagues in other aereas, however, he does not know the aforementioned constellation. The engraver "MV" worked for several binders in Königsberg, Frankfurt Augsburg and anywhere else Augsburg (see A. Schmid: Zur Geschichte deutscher Buchbinder im 16. Jh., and E. Kyriss: Beiträge zu Augsburger Buchbindern. Both in:Beiträge zum Rollen- und Platteneinband im 16. Jh., 1932, p. 79, 139f., 143 and 146). Front fly leaf with a poem (6 lines) to a Daniel (Hannus), title with a handwritten entry relating to him too (the monogram on the front boards seems to be saying "Daniel Hannus" as well). The first c. 40 levs. of the Herodot's text with old marginalia and underlinings, otherwise a slightly browned but clean copy in a very interesting binding.
VD 16, H 2508; Hoffmann II, 229; Schweiger I, 138; BMSTC (German Books) 399; Adams H 396. See Hieronymus, Griech. Geist 263 (relating to the edition of 1541).
Order no.: 649 / sold
)
HOMER
(Greek:) Odysseia. Batrachomnomachia, Hymnoi ...
(Strasbourg, W. Köpfel) 1525. One of at all two parts (the other part contains the "Ilias").
8vo. 251, (61) lvs. On title printer's device in a woodcut border (see Heitz platel XVI, no. 3, admittedly showing the border of the "Ilias"-volume); on leaf I 8 verso a larger woodcut device (Heitz plate XIX, no. 12), all partly coloured.
Contemp. blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (darkened, slightly rubbed), remains of a spine label, 2 clasps.
The volume contains Homer's texts and a vita by Herodot. Edited by Lonicer for the first time; the edition is dedicated to Melanchthon.
Front paste-down endpaper with a drawing (coat of arms) in colours and with some paper defects (drawing not touched), front free endpaper loose and verso with several entries (partly ownership notes) by different hands. Rear free endpaper is lacking, half of the rear paste-down endpaper covered by handwritten annotations. An ownership entry from 1529 (!) on title, last gatherings with old marginalia. Slightly browned throughout, some watermarkings and stains. A nice copy of a very rare edition.
VD 16 H 4692; Hoffmann II, 315; Schweiger I, 156; Adams H 746; BMSTC (German Books) 412; Muller Koepfel 56; Ritter 1190.
Order nr. 656 / sold
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P])
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HOMER
(Greek + Latin) Ilias ...
Strasbourg, Theodosius Rihel (c. 1592).
8vo. 893 pp., (1) p., (37) lvs. (last blank). Printer's woodcut device (Heitz, plate XXXII, no.15; differing from that one shown in the digital copy under VD 16, H 4660).
Contemp. blind-tooled pigskin over wooden boards (stained [particularly front boards], darkened) with handwritten title on spine, 2 clasps.
Bilingual edition (Greek / Latin).
The precise definition of the edition follows Schweiger and VD 16: H4658 is differing in the collation, the dedication in H 4659 shows a different setting (see the respective digital copies).
A small portion ofthe front paste-down endpaper cut, two ownership entries (one of them repeated on title recto). Title with 4 short and inked out entries. Moderately browned throughout (some gatherings more intensively), minor staining. A cutting to rear paste-down endpaper too.
VD 16, H 4660; Schweiger I, 157; Hoffmann II, 317; see Adams H 764 and 765; see BMSTC (German Books) 413.
Order no.: 661 sold
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HOMER
(Greek:) Odysseia, (Latin:) Odyssea. Eiusdem Betrachomyomachia, Hymni aliaque eius opuscula, seu collecta ...
Strasbourg, Theodosius Rihel (c. 1592).
8vo. 825 (of 827) pp. (title leaf with device is lacking), (1) p., (26) lvs.
Contemp. blind-tooled pigskin over wooden boards (slightly browned and rubbed, spine overpainted with grey oil paint) with handwritten title on spine, 1 clasp (of 2).
Bilingual edition (Greek / Latin).
The edition is defined following VD 16: see the setting of the printing in the relevant digital copies.
A clean, slightly browned, minor stained copy.
VD 16 H4700; Schweiger I, 157; not in Hoffmann; see Adams H 764 und 765; see BMSTC (German Books) 413.
Order nr..: 660 / sold
[Greek editions, history, old bindings]
ISOKRATES.
(Greek:) Pros demonikon parainesis. Tou autos Nikoklea ... basileiao. Tou autou Nikokles e summachikos. Aristidoi romes egkomion.
Venice, Ravano heirs 1549. 8vo. (47) lvs. (of 48: lacking the last blank). Contemporary boards (browned, stained). It contains four speeches of Isocrates: "To Demonikos" (this is generally regarded to be a fake) with a relatively loose col1ection of admonitory epigrams, "To Nikokles", the young Cypriot prince who may have been a student of Isocrates, "Nikokles" - in this speech the ruler addresses his people himself - and the "Eu1ogy of the Roman Aristidos". Isocrates (436-338 BC) initiates the epoch in which rhetoric had a decidedly formative influence on Greek cu1ture. His school in Athens had an enormously wide impact, although he himself never made his speeches in public. They were read out publicly or meant to be read as written texts. Isocrates' scepticism against philosophy and above all against any claim to truth made him appreciate the talent for formulation and for effective expression: "Speaking wel1" and "thinking wel1" are interactive and indispensable requirements for any sensible activity. First and last lvs. with brown stains. Title with thin place. NUC 272,618 (the only copies we found listed in catalogues of public libraries): an extremely rare edition.
sold
JUSTINIAN (JUSTINIANUS)
Justinianischer Instituten warhaffte dolmetschung darinn der großmechtigst Kayser IUSTINIAN den ersten grond geschribner recht hat fürgebildet: durch Orth. Fuchsperger von Ditmoning. Jetztwiderumb fleissig durchsehen uberlesen und gebessert ...
Augsburg, Weissenhorn (1538). Folio. (8), XCI, (9), XIII lvs. (1) leaf. Title woodcut and two (repeated) page-sized family trees (both slightly trimmed top and bottom) of Jörg Breu. New card covers. Third printing of this translation. Rare. The family tree is being watered by a woman while a man is turning over the soil. Provenance: Auction J.Baer, Frankfurt, 7.11.1931, since then in a privat collection. New fly leaves. Title with restored loss of paper (not affecting text / illustration). Slightly browned throughout, stainigs to margins. VD 16, C 5240; neither in Adams, nor in Schweiger, nor in BL.
Order no.: 184 / 1 000,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P])
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[Fall of Constantinople, incunables, humanism, renaissance]
LACTANTIUS Firmianus, L (ucius) Coelius:
Quae in hoc opere contineantur ... divinarum institutionum Libri septem - Eiusdem de ira Dei Liber unus - Item de opificio Dei Liber unus - Eiusdem Epitome in Libros suos De civinis institutionibus - In calce carmen de Phoenice & de Dominica resurrectione.
Florence, Philipp Giunta 1513.
8vo. (16), 301 (recte: 336) Bll., (1) S. (blank). Woodcat title border and numerous woodcut initials.
Modern vellum with handwritten title on spine.
Early 16th century edition; prior to the first edition by Aldus.
Lactanctius (ca. 250 - 325 AD.) was of African descent. Diocletian engaged him as rhetoric teacher in Nicomedia, where he subsequently converted to Christianity and - during the persecution by Diocletian - defended Christianity against Hellenistic criticism. In about 315 Constantine called him to Trier as tutor to his son, Crispus.
Lactantius saw in rhetoric Elegance, part of classical teaching, a way of making Christianity attractive. Despite his position as church teacher, during the Middle Ages he was shunned as something of a heretic, but in the Renaissance he was seen as a great stylist (Pico della Mirandola regarded him as "Cicero christianus").
New endpapers. Slightly browned throughout, a few leaves stained; some marginalia by an old hand. A well preserved copy of a scarce edition.
Censim. 16, CNCE 28725; Bandini II, 51; Adams L 15; BMSTC (Italian Books) 366; Decia/Delfiol I, 46; Brunet III, 736; Graesse IV, 66; Ebert 11600; not in Schweiger.
Order no.: 651 / 1 000,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P])
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[Patristic, rhetoric]
LIUTPRANDUS CREMONENSIS (- TICINENSIS):
... rerum gestarum per Europam ipsius praesertim temporibus. Libri VI.
Paris, Badius Ascensius & Jean Petit 1514.
Folio. (4), 42 lvs. Woodcut title border (no. 1 / see Renouard, Asc., vol. I, p 49), printer's device on title (Renouard, Marques typogr., no. 22) and many woodcut initials in the text.
18th century vellum (darkened, slightly stained) with gilt-stamped spine label.
First edition.
Luitprant came from a Langobard family; he had been educated at the court of Provenza in Pavia and was a favourite of King Hugo and at first also of his successor Berengar of Ivrea. Later he fell out with Berengar and went to Germany at the court of Otto I, whom he also accompanied to Rome in his struggle against Pope John XII. He attended the emperor Otto's II coronation in 967, and he belonged to the delegation who travelled to Constantinople one year later to win over Theophanu for matrimony with Otto II. It is, however, not certain whether he also was a member of the delegation that accompanied Theophanu to Germany.
The "Rerum gestarurn per Europam" belong to the most important history sources of Ottonian time, especially as Liutprant processed much first-hand information; the focal points of his depiction thus are (in spite of the title ) Northern Italy, Byzantium and the German empire. The volume ends with the coronation of the emperor Otto I in 962.
Liutprant's subjective perspective - typical of his time - accounts for the particular charm of the book: He wants to take revenge on Berengar of Ivrea (therefore in the preface to Book III he calls his work "Antapodosis" - "Retaliation" -, a term used in the newer editions as a title).
Probably Otto I commissioned him to write a summary of the emperor's Italy politics of the years 969-964, a survey which above all became a eulogy on the emperor; the current edition contains this text as ending of Book 6. Liutprant's report on the emissary delegation to Constantinople appeared as first printing in 1600.
Marbled endpapers. Slightly browned and stained throughout, some leaves more heavily touched. Tears to margins of the first leaves restored (text not affected), a few manuscript notes by an old hand. Front fly-leaf with an old library number.
Moreau II, 895; BMSTC (French Books) 285; Renouard (Ascensius) III, 9; not in Adams.
sold
[Chronicles, first editions]
LUDOLPHUS Cathusiensis (de SAXONIA).
In Psalterium expositio. In qua subiectae reperiuntur materiae...
Lyon, J. Moylin 1518. 4to. (30), 205 lvs., (2) lvs. Woodcut title border. Contemp. Blind-stamped calf over wooden boards (rubbed, a few small leather defects to spine, head and foot of spine defective, front joint crashed), n), 8 metal bosses to edges and corners; lacking clasps. Front cover has the addition of a later owner's embossed monogram and date. This commentary on the Psalms is, with the description of Christ's life, the second work of Ludolphus which was reprinted time and again since the incunabula period, although this work was reprinted less often than the first. The very well preserved binding has the same decoration on both front and back: the outer design is a roll of the Virtues which is dated "1539" (Casta Lucr[etia] - Pruden[tia] - [Suavitas] 1539 - Justicia); a narrow border decorated with two different floral stamps followed by a central panel in which is separated by rolled lines into four vertical rolls: the virtues reappear centrally in twoo bands and theseare supplemented in the two outer bands by two rollwork bands showing different figure. The front cover has a second empty horizontal panel in which the date and ownership monogram (BVCIW) appear. The roll work is not illustrated in Haebler, the roll with virtues matches in size and consistency with the allegorical figures of another decoration, that Haebler dates to 1539 (II, 13, No. 5). Our example, however, deviates from that as the inscription under Lucretia has the addition of the adjective "casta" (= keusch/shy) which we have been unable to locate in any of the literature even though it would certainly fit the historical/mythological figure of Lucretia. It is extremely rare that allegorical figures receive such supplementary detail in this kind of inscription. This special feature was covered in Issue 18 (April 2006) of the magazine "Einbandforschung". Provenance: Auction J. Baer, Frankfurt, 7. Nov. 1932, then in a privat collection. Lacking fly leaves, last leaf mounted. Slightly browned throughout, minor spotting. Title printed red and black, restored tear to title (border affected but no loss). Old ownership inscription to title verso together with some more letters. Red edge coloring affecting the first 2 leaves. Adams L 1674.
sold
(MARCHESINUS, Johannes) - (Marchesini, Giovanni)
(Mammotrectus super bibliam)
Venice, Franciscus (Renner) from Heilbronn and Nicolaus from Frankfurt 1476. Sm.- 4°. 228 lvs. (first + last blank): A-C 8; a 10; b - y 8; 1-2 8; 3 10. Goth. types, printed in 2 columns. Leaf a 2 recto 39 lines each column and headline. Leaf a 1 recto richly illuminated with an initial letter (Prologue) "I" (7-lines) in gold and in colour (blue, mauve, green) with highlighting using opaque white, an historiated initial "F" (beginning of the Hieronymus letter) also in gold and in colour (mauve-shading, blue, white highlighting) and a representation of Saint Ambrosius with extensions in the central section (red and green, gold highlights) as well as a four-sided border panel with leaves and flowers (mainly in blue, mauve and green), gold spots and individual thorned tendrils and leafy decoration, also in gold and a medallion / coat-of-arms in form of green bay leaves, a central red field and a flowering tree in green and red. Alternating blue and red initials throughout. Contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over bevelled wooden boards (some rubbings, head and foot of spine and front hinge restored, worm holes). 2 well preserved clasps.
Second edition by Renner (editio princeps: 1470); scarce.
Little has been handed down concerning Johannes Marchesinus' life story: he was a Franciscan monk in the Reggio Emilia area in the vicinity of Modena, living toward the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th centuries. He wrote his work "Mammotrectus super Bibliam" (freely translated as "A basis for understanding the Bible") as a guide to clerics; widely distributed during the late Middle Ages and the early modern era this work belonged to the most important of the Franciscan teaching texts. The ca. 1300 articles are divided into 1. Explanations of difficult biblical terms or idioms; 2. Explanations on orthography and intonation of Latin words, on Bible tradition and council history, to basic principles concerning Bible interpretation and translation, to the old testament feast days and on priestly garments; 3. Tracts on the liturgy and on further religious writings (legends of saints etc.). Erasmus v. Rotterdam subjected the work to a thorough critique, Luther and the protestant theology rejected it completely.
This excellently preserved binding originated in Ulm, probably from one of Konrad Dinckmuts binding workshops. Front and back covers present the identical divisions: an outside plain margin is followed by a wide border, filled with individual stamping (lilies in oval borders); centrally there is a rectangular field, crossed diagonally by incised lines producing triangular fields which are decorated with one or two smaller stamps (swan, round, framed). The same die form decorates the corners of the frames containing the lilies.
Specialist literature:
www.hist-einband.de: s008191, s008193, w00009.
Kyriss: 156, no. 1 + 6.
Amelung: Kommentar zum Faksimile des Ulmer Terenz, Dietikon 1972, p. 17 Hummel: Bibliotheca Wiblingana in: Studien und Mitteilungen zur Geschichte des Benediktinerordens 89 / 1978, p. 532/33.
Breitenbruch: Inkunabeln der Stadtbibliothek Ulm, no. 53 and 101. Laird/Needham/v. Rabenau: Einbandforschung 2 / April 1998, p. 19 (compare Amelung's commentary in Einbandforschung 5 / October 1999, p. 23).
Provenance:
1. Die Illumination on leaf a1 recto was made by an Italian hand, the coat of arms represents the heraldic shield of an Italian family (see for example Christie's "The Nakles Collection of Incunabula" [17.4. 2000], lot 98 and 112 and Reiss & Sohn, catalogue 147 [01.11.2011], no. 4456).
2. On the rear end-paper there is preserved an entry of acquision from the year 1520 ("Comparatus sum anno Domini M.V.20").
3. On the front end-paper there is a 16th/17th century entry: "Duplum Bibliothecae regiae Monac(ensis)".
4. Lvs. A 2 recto und n 6 verso show the ownership stamp of the Franciscanian Monastry Riva del Guarda.
5. Front end-paper with a new ex-libris (collection Legel).
Without front fly-leaf. The endpapers have been renewed with old material, entries from the original endpapers are preserved (see the provenances). The stiching of quires A and B new, the leaves 3 1,2 reinforced at joint. Leaf A 1 (blank) with restored loss of paper. Minor staining. A well preserved copy with a marvellous illuminated page in an superb binding. HC 10557; BMC V, 194; GW M 20827 (online); ISTC im00236000; Goff M 236; Voull. (Berlin) 3690.
SOLD
MEDER, Johannes
Parabola filii glutonis profusi atque prodigi nedum venuste verentiam vtiliter & deuote per venerandum patrem fratrem Joannem Meder ordinis minorum obseruantium Basilee concionata & collecta: pro totius anni precipue quadragesime sermonibus accommodata.
Basle, Michael Furter 1510. Sm.-8vo. (232) lvs. (last blank). Three different printer's devices and 18 full-page woodcuts (copies of the cuts in the incunabula-editions by the "Master of Haintz Narr". Title printed red and black. New vellum (slightly spotted). Forth edition, first in the postincunabula period. . Text and woodcuts are about the parable of the Prodigal Son. Meder - a monk in Basle and a frend of Sebastian Brant - supervised the printing of the text and the realising of the illustrations himself. (see Winkler, Dürer und die Illustrationen zum Narrenschiff, p 92 f and Muther 470). Title with an old monastic ownership entry. Slightly browned throughout, minor stained. Slim upper margins. A well preserved copy. VD 16, M 1855; BMSTC (German Books) 605; not in Adams. Cf. Schramm XXII, p. 12 / 13 and illustr. 472 - 504.
Order no.: 176 5500,00 EUR
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PETRUS Lombardus
Textus sententiarum cum conclusionibus ac titulis questionum s. Thome Articulisque Parisien. et in quibus magister communiter non tenetur.
Basle, Nikolaus Kessler, September 22nd, 1488.
Folio. a 10, b – i 8.6, k – p 6.8, q – s 6, t 8, A – Q 8.6, Qr 6, R 6, S 8+1, T 6, V 8 = 279 not numbered lvs. (of 281: lacking the 2 blanks t 8 und V 8). Gothic types, mostly printed in 2 columns. Illuminated with three sizable initials (one in shades of mauve, green, red and brown, filled in with foliage and tendrils and geometrical decor, two in mauve, green and blue -one of them gilded -, filled in with foliage as well ) and also (leaves a 4 verso and A 2 recto) with margin borders consisting of tendrils and blossoms in the same colours as the initials; the strip on leaf A 2 recto contains a burlesque figure sticking head first up to his hips in a blossom, kicking his legs.
The volume is rubricated throughout in red, and the rubricator consistently - with the exception of one page - added red lombards. Kessler's woodcut device is located above the colophon.
Contemporary blind-stamped half leather (pigskin) over wooden boards (rubbed, some worm-holes, foot of spine with restored leather defect), hand-written spine label, a newer library label, 2 later brass clasps.
An entry surely by the rubricator's own hand on fol. Q 6 v. reads: "Lucas Swartzmullner anno Ch(risti) (14) 90", and a different (?) hand (the first buyer's hand ?) notes under the "Tabula" (fol. V 7 v.): "Lucas Swartzmullner de kunygswisen p(ro)tunc coop( er)ator ad sanctum Michaelem In Wachaw Illigavit libru(m) anno d(o)m(ini) ch(risti) (14)90 feria sexta p(ost) Petri et Pauli(.) Eodem anno fuit annus Iubileus In Spiez et in Krembs aliisq(ue) locis multis positus t(em)p(or)e d(o)m(ini) Innocentii pap(a)e Octavi". So it can be safely stated that this Lucas Swarzmullner was the rubricator and bookbinder alter et idem; whether he was also the illuminator cannot be decided due to lack of comparative material - however, it cannot be ruled out, either, as the instance of Ulrich Schreier from Salzburg proves. The binding shows a South German (Augsburg) influence. On the front, there is a narrow marginal frame. A roll-stamp (foliage with a rosette) follows inwardly on each side length. These two rolls border an inner field of almost equal width stamped with undulating vertical script streamers with interlacing crests; the writing is hard to decipher, it is, however, highly probable that the text here is "maria". The reverse has the same outer frame, which here encloses two identical, divided "gothic arc frieze" roll-stamps set opposite each other with their short side.
The name of Lucas Schwarzmullner does not appear in the relevant literature, the whole area of the Wachau in Austria is not represented in the bookbinders' 1ists of the 15th century. In 1497 a Lucas Swarzmiller was recorded and mentioned as public notary and priest at Krems (Austria). As a bookbinder he has up to now remained unknown, extensive entries on binders are extremely rare in incunabula editions. (Our discovering of the binder Lucas Swartzmullner is presented and described in: "Einbandforschung", no. 10 / April 2002, p. 33 – 36 and no. 13 / October 2003, p. 46/47).
Book-block broken. Lacking flyleaves, quires T and V misbound, ownership entries. Minor worming, title and fol. T1 soiled, some lvs. water-marked. In placed with damp- or finger-stains. A fine copy with the important discovering of a 15th century bookbinder.
HC *10195; BMC III, 766/7; ISTC ip00491000; v.d. Haegen 18,16; IGI 7639; Goff P-491; BSB/Ink.P-384; GW (online) M32482.
sold
PINDAR (Pindarus, Pindaros) - LONICER, Johan (nes)
Pindari poetae vetutissimi, Lyricorum facile principis, Olympia Pythia Nemea Isthmia Per Ioan. Lonicerum latinitate donata: adhibitis enarrationibus, e Graecis Scholijs, & doctissimis utriusque linguae autoribus desumptis: quarum suffragio Poeta, a paucis hactenus intellectus, nunc planior illustrior redditur.
Basle, A. Cratander 1535. 4to. (6) lvs., 458 pp., (9) lvs. Repeated printer's device on title and last leaf verso. Contemp. blind-stamped calf (spine new, 2 corners restored), ties new. Second Latin edition on Pindar's poems (first: 1528), the first one with commentary.
Only a small portion of the complete works of Pindar (522 or 518 - ca. 440 B.C.), born in the vicinity of Thebes, has been handed down; most of this deals with songs of praise dedicated to the winners of contests at Olympia, Delphi, at Isthmos and in Nemea. These were often written on commission for aristocrats across the entire Greek-speaking world of the time, including Sicily. Pindar's works were highly regarded in the literature of Rome (e.g. Horace) and admired in England (Milton), France (Boileau) and also in Germany, especially amongst the so-called Romantics (e.g. A. v. Platen); contemporary to this many of his works were translated into German (Humboldt, Hölderlin).
Johannes Lonicer (c. 1497 - 1569) entered - like Luther - the order of Augustine early in life, studied in Erfurt and Witttenberg and fell, the more he came under the influence of Luther's teachings, more and more into conflict with the official church doctrines. After periods in Esslingen, Freiburg and Straßburg, where he worked for various publishers as copy editor, he was awarded a teaching chair at Marburg, initially for Greek, later theology.
The embossing of the binding is identical on both sides: several different individual stamps within a rhombus-shaped grid: fan-like leafwork , a wanderer supporting himself on a staff and lilies; the half fields at the edges are filled with a beetle stamp surrounded by square frame. The stamps of the wanderer and the beetle stamp are barely mentioned in the literature. The binding could have originated in the Rhine or lower Rhine areas.
The flyleaf and endpapers are parchment. Title has larger piece missing at the side (recto small amount, verso minimal text loss) which has been reinforced, edge and fold strengthening, one worm hole also repaired. Additionally several handwritten entries on title, two of which indicate church censorship: one that the author had been sentenced but that he had been reinstated; the second mentions Father Paulus Keuth who had corrected the book according to the Index of Forbidden Books (one can see with what skepticism even an innocent work of the Luther supporter Johannes Lonicer was held in catholic circles, a series of whose polemic pamphlets landed in the Index); a third entry (from the 17th century) mentions the Convent of the Birgitten Nunnery in Cologne as owner. Within the title the name of the translator has been thinly underlined and the words "& illustrior" have been crossed out. Front joint broken, last leaf of gathering reinforced. Both endpapers show old library entries. Light browning throughout, some water staining; some rubrication in red and blue. Page 261 has two lines crossed out (in the hand of the "Corrector" named on title page?). VD 16 P 2798; Hoffmann III, 104; Schweiger I, 238; Hieronymus / GG 210; Adams P 1234; BMSTC (German Books) 697.
Order no.: 640 / 2200,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P])
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Pope PIUS II. (= Aeneas Silvius Piccolomini):
De captione urbis Constantinopolitanae Tractatul (us)
(Rome, Johann Gensberg, c. 1474).
4to. (4) lvs., (fol. 1 v:) 29 lines, antiqua. [a 4].
Modern vellum.
Probably second edition; in trade very rare.
There is some disagreement in the relevant bibliographies as to the exact number of editions of this work: the "Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke" lists five editions, but only refers to three reference examples; the ISTC limits itself to these three (all undated): J. de Lignamine (ca. 1470), J. Gensberg (ca. 1474), Stephan Plannck (ca. 1485/92). Hain attributes the Gensberg-edition to J. Schurener; early bibliographic literature largely follows him.
Of Johann Gensberg - according to F. Geldner - little is known of his biography. The 46 printed works known to come from him, or which have been attributed to him, are from the years 1473 / 74; the fact that his type-face is very similar to that of Johannes Schureners has caused difficulties in attributing works to him.
Enea Silvio Piccolomini (1405 - 1464) - as Pope under the name Pius II. - was one oft the most important Humanists of the 15th century. During the 1440s he achieved in his first career, namely that as humanistically educated poet and politician, a high point: he spent several years at the court of the Emperor, Friedrich III, and was crowned by him as "poeta laureatus". He gave lectures at the University of Vienna on classical literature, and his influence on contemporary humanist circles is highly regarded.
However, by 1447 his church career had already begun - he was appointed Bishop of Triest - and which reached its climax with his appointment to Pope in 1458. "The question as to the priorities, which he set during his papacy, is ... clearly answered: it is the crusade against the invading Turks" (Esch, E.S. Piccolomini als Papst...In: Lebenslehren und Weltentwürfe p. 120), and this present short text fits naturally into this context. The conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by Mehmed II caused a form of shock wave throughout Europe: besides the political-military threats posed, many saw the cultural achievements of Europe in danger. Pius II wanted to counter any further Osman expansion by way of a crusade. The recent introduction of the printed book proved to be the ideal medium for spreading his ideas.
This text on the fall of Constantinople was a preliminary printing of a passage from "In Europam" (finished in 1458 before Piccolomini's election to Pope and printed first time in 1491 by Kunne in Memmingen: fol. c2 ff.; in more recent editions found in the 7th book).
Provenance:
1. Fol a 1 recto with armorial stamp of the collection Charles de L'Escalopier (1812 - 1861). In the "Catalogue de la bibliothèque de m. le cte Charles de L'Escalopier", Paris 1866/67, our incunable is recorded under the number 4744 in vol. 2. This catalogue number was written by hand on fol. a1r on the upper margin.
2. There is another handwritten number on fol a.1r: the number XXIIII. Our incunable probably was part of an old "sammelband" representing the leaves XXIIII - XXVII of this volume.
3. In the beginning of the 20th century it in the ownership of a German owner (see manuscript entree on front fly leaf).
Late 19th/ early 20th century front fly leaf. Other endpapers new. Throughout some damp-staining.
H 525*; ISTC ip00658000; BSB-Ink. P-498; Goff P 658; IGI 7754; GW (online) M 33604. Not in BMC, not in v. Arnim (Coll. Schäfer).
sold
[Classics, Greek literature in translations into Latin, fine bindings]
PLINIUS SECUNDUS (The Elder), C(aius)
Historiae mundi libri XXXVII ex postrema ad vestustos codices collatione cum annotationibus et indice.
Basle, (Hieronymus) Froben (und Nikolaus Episcopus) 1539. Folio (36,1 x 24,5 cm). (18) lvs., 671 pp., (1) p., (26) pp., (88) lvs. Printer's device (3 repetitions) and numerous initials by Hans Holbein The Younger. Contemp. blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (darkened, stained, corners and head of spine defective), small spine label, 2 original clasps. Edit by S. Gelenius and with his commentaries. The device used in this book is Froben's bigger one and designed by Holbein The majority of the larger initials, eight-line high, are taken from an Alphabet with scenes from the old testament and mythology (Müller No. 140), a number from the Hercules-Alphabet (Müller No. 139), some of the smaller with mythological and genre scenes (Müller No. 141), all designed by H. Holbein the Younger and of which the first two are cut by J. Faber. Four of these initials are copies of the Holbein Alphabet depicting children and putti (Müller No. 133). Sigismundus Gelenius (i.e. Zikmund Hrubý z Jeleni, ca. 1498 - 1554) was one of the most important employees at the publishing house of Froben, primarily as publisher and as translator from Greek. After having worked as editor on the printing of the B.-Rhenanus-edition of Plinius 1530, for the editions of 1535 and 1539 he acted as publisher and also added his own commentaries. The "Historia naturalis" of C. Plinius Secundus (the Elder, 23/4 - 79 A.D.) is the largest extant prose work of Latin antiquity; basing his work on Greek authors such as Aristotle and Theophrast he was able to create a relatively rigid system within his work: After the index follow 18 books devoted to nature as such (e.g. cosmology, astronomy, geography, anthropology, zoology and botany) and 18 on the relationship between man and nature (e.g. medicinal substances, natural resources). This work became a model for later works of this nature (see DNP 9, Sp. 1135-1141). This example presents an unusual binding consisting of a combination of late gothic and Renaissance elements. The front cover is decorated with a rectangular panel which is embellished with rhombus pattern of individual stamps surrounded by a narrow basket-weave band which border on three further rollwork designs, one of individual stamps similar to the diamond pattern, one with foliage pattern and finally an empty roll which has single designs in the corners and binding points. The rear cover presents a similar division of panels although the stamps used are not always identical. In the rectangular central panel rollwork lines together with the foliage stamp form a decorative diamond pattern, in the middle of which there is an unusual stamp: a rosette surrounded by pomegranate patterns formed to take the shape of a cross/ leafwork pattern also enclosed within a diamond (the corners of the diamond decorated with rosettes). One set of rollwork - also with the foliage decoaration - borders this, followed by a single pomegranate stamp and the roll of foliage from the front cover. Finally one can see the empty rollwork in the corners and binding points (ribs) again using the individual stamp from the front cover. A striking detail is the where the central panel is surrounded by the next border ruled lines have been drawn to connect the outer corners with the inner corners thus creating new fields, and these have been decorated with the pomegranate stamp (only partially visible). The organisation of the panels of the rear cover are similar to that which Schlechter (see Augenweide und Schutz. Einbände des 15. bis 17. Jahrhunderts. Koblenz 2008) illustrates under Number 21. There are not as many roll stamps (the binding in Schlechter is considerably smaller than this here) and the rhombus and rectangles are decorated with other rolls. Schlechter illustrates only the front cover but claims that the back cover is identical. The period in which the two bindings were produced is the same: the two rolls in Schlechter are dated (1528 and 1531), the binding applied to a work printed in Basle in 1549. As possible source of the binding Schlechter writes: "Southern Germany. Unknown workshop". One could probably expand this somewhat: "Possibly Rhineland-Palatinate". Lacking front fly leaf. 2 ownership entries to title (Henricus Altendorf, Jodocus Henricus Hoen, the last one dated "1726"), an old purchase entry, a small stamp and an entry inked out to title as well. The same small stamp and a new ownership inscription to front fly leaf, rear end-paper with 2 short entries. Worm holes (loss of letters). VD16 P 3540; Adams P 1566 (incompl. copy); Schweiger II; 787; BMST Ohne vorderen Vorsatz. Titel mit zwei Bsitzereinträgen (Henricus Altendorf, Jodocus Henricus Hoen, letzterer datiert mit 1726), einem alten Kaufvermerk, einem kleinen Namensstempel und einem ausgestrichenen Eintrag; vorderer Spiegel mit dem gleichen kleinen Namensstempel und einem neueren Besitzereintrag; hinterer Spiegel mit zwei kurzen Einträgen. Anfangs und im zweiten Teil zunehmend mit Wurmlöchern (Buchstabenverluste). Insgesamt ein gut erhaltenes Exemplar im originalen Zustand. VD16 P 3540; Adams P 1566 (unvollst. Ex.); Schweiger II; 787; BMSTC (German Books) 705; Ebert 17280.
Order no.: 633 sold
Quintilianus, M(arcus) F(abius).
(Institutiones oratoriae).
Venice, in Aedibus Aldi et Andreae Soceri, August 1514. Sm.-4to. (4) lvs. (last blank), 230 lvs. Repeated Aldus' - device (Fletcher no. 11) on title and last leaf verso. 18th century leather (edges, joints and leather defects on rear board restored, some soiling). First Aldus-edition. Quintilian (c. 35 - 96 A.D.) was active in Rome as lawyer and teacher of rhetoric and later - under Vespasian - as salaried tutor at a school of rhetoric and, through his introduction to public speaking, provides us with the most detailed systematic presentation of this subject from classical times. Based on the works of Cicero, he distances himself from the "Old School" (Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, Cato the Elder) with their plain "dryness" and also from the mannerisms of several of his contemporaries (e.g. Seneca). Although only read by academics in the late classical period and more or less completely forgotten during the middle ages, since the Renaissance his work has spread and with it an enormous after-effect, subsequent to a copy of his "Institutiones" being discovered in St. Gallen at the beginning of the 15th century. Title and 3 lvs. with restored marginal paper defects (not touching text / woodcut), 1st gathering c. 1 mm shorter trimmed than the other ones (possibly from an other copy of that edition), 1 leaf reinforced at joint. Title, first and last lvs. finger-stained, in places light water-marking (to lvs. 120-124 more intensively). A few old marginalia. Renouard 113,6; Cat. Laurenziana 126; Fletcher p. 112; Schweiger II, 842; BMSTC (Italian Books) 546; Adams Q 52.
Order no.: 130 / 3500,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 67,90 EUR [P])
Delivery time: Domestic: 2-5 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / EU: 3-6 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / Europe: 3-7 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / World 10-21 working days (S), 5 -10 working days (P)
REGINO PRUMIENSIS (FROM PRÜM) ( - ADALBERT from WEIßENBURG).
Annales, non tam de Augustorum vitis, quam aliorum Germanorum gestis et docte et compendiose disserentes, ante sexingentos fere annos editi...(ed. by Sebastian von Rotenhan).
Mainz, Johann Schöffer 1521. Folio. (12), 58, (2) lvs. With woodcut title border, 2 full-page woodcuts (Rotenhan's portrait and coat-of-arms) and some woodcut initials. New leather (corners and edges slightly rubbed), both front and rear board covered by old blind-stamped leather (heavily rubbed, leather defects). First edition of both Regino's chronicle and the continuation attributed to Adalbert of Weissenburg. Regino's text ends on page 50 verso. This edition is basing on a copy (by Conrad Peutinger now in the British Museum, Kurze B2l resp. A1g) of a manuscript written in Freising (Kurze A 1) and a second manuscript (from the Reichenau now in Karlsruhe , Kurze B2i). All the manuscrips of the tradition "A" contain both Regino and the continuation, regino's text probably revised by Adalbert (see Frase p. 23 ff.). E. Thormählen (Gutenberg Jahrbuch 1934. p. 148, 154) attributes the woodcuts - together with several illustrations of the Schoeffer-Livius (1523) - to Faber of Creuznach. Benzing/Presser (500 Jahre Mainzer Buchdruck. p. 44 und 46), Knaus (Gutenberg Jahrbuch 1952. p. 82 ff. and E. Geck (Mainzer Almanach. 1964. p. 149) agree on this attribution, Brücker (Conrad Faber von Creuznach. 1963. p. 96) contradicts. The title border has been used first time in Schoeffer's Livius edition in 1518. Regino's (died 915) chronicle starts with the birth of Christ and goes up to the year 906; especially for the c. 30 years it is an important historical source. Adalbert of Weissenburg (later the first archbishop of Magdeburg) wrote the continuation between 966 - 968 describing the time of the emperors Henry I, Otto I. and Otto II. (up to the coronation of Otto II. at Rome in 967). Provenance: The title bears 2 ownership inscriptions, one of them says: "Ex Libris Francisci Du Molinet Domini De Rosoy 1653". It shows that the book has been in the possession of the lawyer François de Molinet (died 1695) from Langres (Haute-Marne) At the time of Louis XIV. he was royal prosecutor and mayor of Langres. By his hand a price inscription as well: 20 livres. Front paste-down and fly-leaf old, the rear ones renewed with old paper. Front fly-leaf with entries regarding this edition. In places marginal annotations and underlinings, 1 leaf with small loss of paper (not touching text). Slightly browned throughout, a fresh copy of the rare edition (Vogt in "Catalogus ... librorum rariorum": "Editio ... rarissima" [51793, p. 715]). VD 16, R 599; Roth ( Schöffer) 75; Kurze p. XIV; Schleidgen p. 103; Panzer, Annales VII, 44; Adams R 276; BMSTC (German Books) 728; Ebert 19018 ("sehr seltne erste Ausg."); Graesse VI, 64; Brunet IV, 1182.
Order no.: 144 / 3900,00 EUR
plus shipping (Domestic: 4,25 EUR [Standard], 19,90 EUR [Priority] / EU 14,99 EUR [S], 78,90 EUR [P] / Europe 28,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P] / World 34,99 EUR [S], 97,90 EUR [P])
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(Rolewinck, Werner)
Fasciculus temporum omnes antiquorum chronicas complectens
(Cologne, Ludwig von Renchen, not after 1483).
Folio. a8 b-g8.6 h8 i8 a8 (= 74 not numb. leaves [1st blank and not included into the printed signatures]). Goth. types, fol. a1 v 51 lines. With 10 smaller woodcuts and numerous genealogical diagrams. The woodcuts show: Noah's Ark, the tower of Babel, city views (Niniveh, Trier, the Temple of Jerusalem [as duplication of the tower of Babel], Rome, Jerusalem and Cologne), Christ at the Crucifixion as well as Christ as Lord of the World. Woodcuts and diagrams in contemporary colouring. There are blue hand-painted initials throughout (in the "tabula" there are alternating blue and red ones) and rubricated in red. Manuscript page numbering by rubricator's hand in red.
Early 16th-century wooden boards with wide blind-stamped pigs leather spine (this being shortened on the rear boards at some time in the past; both boards slightly rubbed, leather darkened and some staining), 2 intact clasps (one of which has been repaired).
There are two variants to distinguish: GW M38689 (= HC 6914, Schreiber 5116) contains more abbreviations in the preface than GW M38691 (= C 2436, Schreiber 5116a); the consequence: the type areas differ by on line (see also CIBN R-175 and ISTC). Our copy represents the version GW M38689 - probably the more original one (we could compare our copy with photos of the variant from Herzogin Anna Amalia Library in Weimar. We have to thank Mrs. Arnhold for the photos).
Early edition of Rolewinck's famus synoptic world chronicle (first edition: Cologne 1474) with supplementary text: on page i8 recto there is an account of the meeting between Duke Charles the Bold (Karl dem Kühnen) of Burgundy with Emperor Friedrich III. in 1473 in Trier, at which the future of Burgundy as an independent political entity was discussed.
Comes up for sale very seldom.
The attribution of this unsigned printing to Ludwig von Renchen, is in the meantime, virtually assured, the dating is provided by the sales entry in an example in Frankfurt (see Ohly-Sack).
The Rolewinck printing is considered to be one of the earliest products of the Renchen Press (dated works of his are known from 1483). He specialized in theological and liturgical works. Sometimes the printed works of Gerardus den Raem, Petrus in Altis de Olpe and Johannes de Bel have been attributed to him; if this is the case then Renchen‘s printing operations must be considered to have begun from the middle of the 1470s (see Geldner, Buchdrucker, p. 98 f.).
When printing the "Fasciculus" he apparently had to observe the censorship regulations which in 1479 had been bestowed by Pope Sixtus IV on Cologne University (see Corsten, Studien zum Kölner Frühdruck, p. 138); hence, the book's "Incipit" bears the University's approval: "admissus ab alma universitatis Coloniensi" (fol. a2r). This approval itself presents a great rarity: Voulliéme (Kölner Frühdruck p. LXXXVII) lists only 25 printed works where the approval is found, and from the Renchen Press it has only been seen on the "Fasciculus".
The woodcuts are partly copies of those found in Quentell‘s Fasciculus-edition (Schramm No. 536-38, 541 [shortened on the right side], 542; partly modified reworkings (Schramm 543); and partly new illustrations (Schramm 535, 539, 540).
Werner Rolewinck (1425 - 1502, from 1447 Carthusian monk in Cologne) achieved with Fasciculus one of the first "bestsellers" in the history of book writing: up to 1480 alone more than 10 editions were issued, before 1500 it rose to ca. 35. With his survey of the history of the world from its beginnings to the current period (he ended in the year 1474) Rolewinck did not simply write a theology of history in its more narrow sense such as numerous authors had done before following on from the examples of Orosius and Augustinus, but penned a more objective work, that collected together earlier chronicles to present the sum of knowledge of his time in the form of a lucid handbook ("omnes antiquorum cronicas complectens" has been added to the title "Incipit" fol. a2r); he has turned to a presentation form that was widespread during the 14th and 15th centuries (see Johanek in: Geschichtsschreibung und Geschichtsbewußtsein im Spätmittelalter, p. 287 ff.).
Another reason for the huge success of the book certainly lay in the large number of diagrams (lines of succession), which attempt a synoptic presentation.
The author has chosen a technique which had been popular since Petrus Pictaviensis (Peter of Poitiers, 1125/30-1205) and his "Compendium historiae in genealogia Christi" and which had caught the attention of chroniclers (see G. Melville in: Geschichtsschreibung und Geschichtsbewusstsein im Spätmittelalter, p. 57 ff.). It dealt with the problem of trying to narrate the historical chain of events on the one hand without losing sight of contemporaneous occurrences on the other.
The more one attempted the latter, the greater the need for some form of diagrammatic representation. For P. Pictaviensis and his successors it was simply a matter of illustrating Old Testament bible history; Rolewinck expanded their approach in a number of ways.
For a start he took the pre-Christian secular history and the traditional biblical sequence of events and then integrated the lines of Assyrian, Persian, Greek, Roman rulers etc.; on the other hand he supplemented the lists containing only names and added events (e.g. Councils) and interpretative elements (so only half a circle is devoted to the so-called Schism-Popes from 1378).
One of the most important innovations was the third expansion, the central time line. He inserted this "Linea Christi" double; on one side with the birth of Christ as the dating turning point, and the creation of the world as starting date on the other. The latter system of counting was the traditional form during the Middle Ages, but Rolewinck was the first to make the former system popular, the "retrospective incarnation era" (i.e. the usual method for dating events before the birth of Christ as used today).
This system had been developed during the 13th century but it was Rolewinck who was the first to use it systematically to arrange chronologically pre-Christian secular history (see van d. Brincken in: Archiv für Diplomatik 25, 1979, p. 18 ff.). In this way "Fasciculus" became probably the greatest book success of the incunabula period, and to one of the most important links between medieval and modern historical scholarship.
He also broke new ground on another front: He was the first living person to write a work printed in Cologne (see Juchhoff in Festschrift J. Benzing p. 236). It was not until the middle of the 1480s that it became popular, especially at University towns, to print works of contemporary writers.
Re-casing of body of the book. Later endpapers, front inside EP with Exlibris (Legel collection). The first white page consists of the title of the book in early hand as well as a further, no longer legible, notation (probably previous ownership), and the reverse has been decorated with the printer's mark of Renchen (see Heitz/Zaretzky no. 11) in colour and decorated with a coloured framework. Missing parts to the edges of these pages and the corners of the following two leaves repaired; last page laid down and strengthened at the outside edges. Slightly browned throughout, in places finger-stained(ink stains to first leaf verso). On fol. g2 recto a handwritten entry of several lines, illegible due to ink strokes. Last c. 10 lvs. Water-stained on the lower part. The colouring often coming through the opposite page. Some blue initials a liitle bit pale.
HC 6914; BMC I, 269; GW M 38689; ISTC ir oo269000; CIBN R-175; Voulliéme (Köln) 1033; Goff R 269; BSB-Ink R-245; Ohly-Sack 2481; Schramm VIII, 535 - 543; Schreiber 5116.
Order no. 653 / 19 000,00 EUR
[incunables, chronicles, coloured books]
Delivery time: Domestic: 2-5 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / EU: 3-6 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / Europe: 3-7 working days (S), 1-3 working days (P) / World 10-21 working days (S), 5 -10 working days (P)
RONDELETIUS, Gulielmus.
... Libri de Piscibus Marinis, in quibus verae Piscium effigies expressae sunt...
Lyon, Matthias Bonhomme 1554. Folio. (8) lvs., 583 pp., (12) lvs. About 260 woodcuts of marine fauna, 1 portrait, 1 device, many woodcut initials. Eighteenth century parchment (stained, cover somewhat warped) with blind-stamped rules to the leading edges and gold embossed spine title. First edition of this part. One year later a second part was issued, also by Bonhomme in Lyon. One of the earliest printed works devoted to fish with descriptions of some 265 different species. According to Nissen (Fischbücher p. 13) Rondelet's work is the most important of the three illustrated books on fish published during the middle of the 16th century which, in its representation of the subject moved away from the traditional middle ages concept of a mythical creature but oriented itself much more on reality. 18th century fly leaves and paste-downs, purchase entry to front fly leaf. Ownership-inscription ("1696") to title recto, another one, dated 1776, to title verso. Slightly browned throughout (a few lvs. More intensively) in places with damp- or finger-stains Small upper margins (headline of some leaves touched); old marginalia. Adams R 746; Baudrier X, 239; Gültlingen VIII, 203, Nissen ZBI 3474; Nissen (Fischbücher) 105.
Order no.: 668 / sold
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RULAND (the Elder), Martin
Synonyma. Copia Graecorvm verborvm omnivm absolvtiss. Antehac nusquam terrarum visa: pro Graece loqui & scribere perquam facile, bene ac copiose volentibus summo labore collecta: & postremo nunc ita (quod sequens pagella ostendet) aucta & emendata, ut mirifico vsui omnibus esse possint.
Augsburg, M. Franck 1567. 8vo. (464) lvs. Contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (darkened, with some stains, lightly rubbed), without clasps. Very rare 2nd edition of this dictionary of Greek synonyms. The well preserved binding bears two plates with the Seven Liberal Arts (front cover: Grammatica -Dialectica -Rhetorica -Arithmeti[ca]; rear cover: Musica - Geometrica -Astronomia ). The second plate is dated (1566) and initialled "AG". Haebler (I, p.132) assigns this to the Wittenberg bookbinders Andreas Güttig or Arnold Genschel (plates I and III). Both plates are surrounded by a virtue roll stamp ( Spes -Fides -Temperantia -Charitas as full-length human figures) with the monogram »HP" ( Hans Pfister, Nuremberg / Haebler I, p.329, roll 3). In addition the front cover has been embossed with the owner's name "A MITZL/POMERANUS" and the date 1569. Lacking front fly-leaf. Title with old ownership inscriptions. First leaves with small worm-tracks (loss of a few letters), slightly browned throughout, in places with damp- or water-stains. VD 16, R 3689. Neither in BMSTC nor in Adams.
Order no.: 169 / 1350,00 EUR
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SEBASTIAN (of Heusenstamm), (Ed.)
Agenda Ecclesiae Moguntinensis ...
Mainz, Franz Behem 1551.
Folio. (20), 139, (3) lvs. With 2 full-page woodcuts: Sebastian's coat of arms, crucifixion.
(BOUND WITH:) Ecclesiastica Historia divi Eusebii et Ecclesiastica historia gentis anglorum venerabilis Bede: cum utrarumque historiarum per singulos libros recollecta capitulorum annotatione.
Hagenau: Heinrich Gran for Rymann in Augsburg 1521.
Folio. (154) lvs. (last blank). Contemp. half leather (pidskin) over wooden boards (front boards defective at leading edge, rear boards at both corners, darkened, slightly rubbed, worm holes); spine label with handwritten titles, remains of a second label, 1 clasp (of 2).
I. Second 16th century printed church order of the Archbishopric Mainz, edited by the Archbishop Sebastian of Heusenstamm.
II. Early edition (the first one appeared in 1500) of this arrangement of the ecclesiastical history by Eusebius and Beda Venerabilis' Anglo-Saxon Church History.
It is difficult to attribut the binding to a certain binder. One scroll (Christus Salvator / Paulus / Moses with the tablets of the Law / John the Baptist) probably comes from Conrad Schwickart's workshop in Tübingen (EBDB w002973 / r 001494), another scroll with vices as allegorical figures (Avaritia = stinginess / Pigritia = laziness / Superbia = arrogance / Invidia = envy) can be attributed to the "Ottheinrich-Binder" Jörg Bernhardt in Heidelberg (EBDB w004348 / r003378; the figure of "Pigritia" is extremely rare: Haebler doesn't mention it, the EBDB only knows Bernhardt's scroll with this figure).
First title and most of the leaves of text 1 printed red and black. Front paste-down endpaper partly loose and with library stamp "Landkapitel Laupheim". Title recto with ownership note and stamp of the monastery Roth. Slightly brownd throught, in places with stains, worm holes. Handwritten titles on leading edge.
I: VD 16, A 719, neither in Adams nor in BMSTC (German Books).
II: VD16, B 1427 and E 4272, Ind.Aur. 166.212; neither in Adams nor in BMSTC (German Books).
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SLEIDANUS (i.e. Philippi), Johannes
Commentariorum de statu religionis & Reipublicae, Carolo Quinto CarsareLibri XXVI. Vna cum apologia ab ipso Authore conscripta...
Strasbourg, Theodosius Rihel (about 1560). 8vo. (8) lvs., 872 pp., (12) lvs. (two blanks). Printer's woodcut device. Contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (darkened and stained, rubbed, edges and corners with small leather defects), two spine labels, 2 clasps (one still working). Still early edition (first: 1555). Johannes Sleidanus (1506 - 1556) was born Johannes Philippi. At an early age he directed his attention to the Reformation, and after spending several years as secretary to the du Bellay brothers who had cultivated contacts between France and the Schmalkaldic League, he was employed by this league as historian of the Reformation. He earned a fair amount of criticism as a person who described historical events which he attempted to explain in his "Apologia"; this was, however, only added to a number of later editions his work issued posthumously. He methodically based his writings on various sources (he was given access to a number of archives even though this was not a common phenomenon at this time, or specially selected material was made available to him), and which he then proceeded to articulate in detailed papers. "He employed those methods which later would be used in the 17th and 18th centuries" (Ehmer in Historiographie am Oberrhein. p. 242). Thanks to the critical distance between him and to the sources he used his work was also highly acclaimed in non-protestant circles and remained "until (Leopold von) Ranke the essential historical reference work on the Reformation in Germany" (Ehmer a.a.O.). Sleidanus completely dispensed with autobiographical additions when covering his topics and his arguments were strictly historical in nature; the work begins with vexed issue of the granting of indulgences and marks the year of 1517 as a turning point, and it continues until the year 1556, the year of the author's death. The well-preserved binding has the same decoration on both front and back: To the outside there is a roll emboss working of one of the virtues (Spes-Fides-Carit[as]) with complete figures and leafwork over their heads, within there is a plate with script below in a cartouche ("I REGVM / XVI. CAP."). Above and below this plate section there is a horizontal rectangular frame with flower and leaf stamp. Front endpaper has a long text concerning ownership and presentation (dated 1611 and referring to a member of the clergy, Cristophorus Christen). Another (probably later) ownership inscription to front fly leaf. The main part of an inscription on lower margin of title cut away. Front joint cracked. Marginalia and underlinings; some browning throughout, light water-markings to the first gatherings, in places small brown-stains. V. d. Vekene (Sleidanus) E/a 020.F; Muller (Th. Rihel) 1; Adams S 1294; this variant not in VD 16, (cfr. S 6679 und 6680) and not in BMSTC (German Books).
Order no.: 149 / 2600,00 EUR
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SOPHOCLES.
(Greek:) Tragodiai hepta ...Tragoediae septem...
Frankfurt, P. Braubach 1555. 8vo. 417 pp., (1) p. (of 422 : lacking the two blank final leaves). Some woodcut initials. (BOUND WITH:) LUCIANUS: Dialogi ... selectiores, Superorum, Marinorum & Inferorum. Quibus additi sunt Prometheus, sive Caucasus. Menippus, seu Necyomantia. Timon, vel Misanthropos...Strasbourg, Cephalaeos (= Köpfel) Bros., 1556. 8vo. (8) lvs. (the last two blank), 130 lvs. (the last one misnumbered ["116"]), (6) lvs. Printer's device in woodcut on last leaf verso. Dated ("1560") contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (darkened, rubbed [spine, edges and corners heavily], rear board water-marked, spine with a few worm-tracks), remains of clasps. I: Third Braubach edition in Greek, much rarer than the quarto edition of the same year (not in Schweiger, Hoffmann, Adams, Graesse, in German libraries 3 copies only). II: Bilingual edition (Greek - Latin) of selected works, probably the second by Köpfel Bros. Very scarce too (not in Schweiger, Hoffmann). Both front end-paper and fly-leaf with ownership and donation entries (the oldest one from 1562!), rear end-paper with entries as well. I: Title and p. 8 printed in red and black, title with entries. The first quires with extensive annotations (later decreasing). Browning throughout, in places finger-stained (title and first leaves more intensively) some quires water-marked to joint or lower edge. Last leaf with small tear to upper margin. II: Title with handwritten entry and paper defects to lower margin (not affecting text). Slightly browned throughout, in places with stains, last leaves water-marked. Last leaf stained more heavily. I: VD 16, S 7036; BMSTC (German Books) 820; see Löwe in: Gutenberg Jahrbuch 1940, p. 309. II:VD16 ZV 9918 (4 copies only: Vienna and 3 in Germany); Muller (Koepfel Bros.) 5 (with the copy at Vienna only).
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Strozzi (, Ercole & Tito "Vespasiano")
Strozii poetae pater et filius.
Venedig, Aldus & Asolanus 1513 (following the Venecian calendar; according to the usual European calendar 1514). 8vo. (8), 99 lvs., (1) leaf, 152 lvs. With Aldus' device (Fletcher Nr. 11) on title and last leaf verso. 16th century gilt-stamped vellum (darkened, soiled, rubbed); new end-papers and fly leaves, lacking ties. First Aldus edition of Strozzis' poems, first edition of most of the complete works; scarce. This edition comprises of two parts where the songs and epigrams of Ercole Strozzi form the first, and the writings of Tito "Vespasiano" (6 books of erotica, 3 books Aeolosticha, 1 book of sermons), his father, build the second part. This work is similar to the first edition of Bembo's "Asolani" by opening with a preface addressed to Lucrezia Borgia by Aldus Manutius who became a member of the humanist circle during his studies in Ferrara (to 1482).
The decoration of the binding presents an outer frame with a closely set, slightly spirally winding pattern, copied from Greek art. Centrally there is a floral design, and also floral decoration in the corners of the frame.
PROVENENCE: The reverse of the title page has an autograph in the form of a six-line dedication to the two Strozzis from Daniel Finus; leaf A8 verso also has a longer laudation to Aldus Manutius by him written in manuscript. The first was never published and the second not during
The copy of the work here is very likely to be the actual dedicated volume from Aldus Manutius to Fini and in which he wrote his poem.
For full description please click the button "The special offer" with the detail pages.
Light browning throughout (a few leaves somewhat more so) and finger marks mainly concerning the bottom outside page edges; occasional mould or water stains (but mostly to outside edges), two pages with small amount of damage to paper at the lower bottom white margin. On the whole, an unusual document with reference to Humanism in Ferrara and in an extremely rare contemporary binding.
Censimento 16 CNCE 37457; Renouard / Ald. I, 98; Fletcher p. 111; Cat. Laur. 111; Ald. Slg. SBB 203; Adams S 1956; BMSTC (Italian Books) 650; Ebert 21848.
Order no.: 637 / 14000,00 EUR
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SYNESIOS von KYRENE.
Epistolae lectu dignitissimae, in utriusque linguae studiosorum gratiam Graecè ac Latinè editae: Thoma Naogeorgo Straubingensi interprete.
Basle, J. Oporinus (1558). Sm.-8vo. (24) lvs., p. 17-515 (thus compl.), (1) p. (blank). (Bound with): (Pseudo-)PHALARIS of AGRIGENTUS. Epistolae doctissimae, Graecè ac Latinè. Thoma Naogeorgo interprete. Basle, J. Oporinus (1558). Sm-8vo. 253, (3) pp. (last blank). Contemporary vellum (soiled, spine defective. I: Second Greek edition, first bilingual. II: Fifth Greek edition, 2nd bilingual one. Writing of the missing letter 'a' in Synesios, Hieronymus: " In 1551/52 and again at the beginning of 1552 Naogeorg (Kirchmeyer, 1511-1563) was residing in Basel, in 1557-59 he is in Stuttgart. His letter of dedication to the mayor and council of his place of birth near Straubing is dated Stuttgart, 1. March 1559. This letter of over 40 pp. reached the printer in Basle one year after the translation and printing of the Synesios text. For this reason it has been bound instead of gathering a and has the gathering marks a - y". Synesios of Kyrene (c. 370 - c. 415 A.D.) belonged to the so-called Alexandrian School of Neoplatonism, i.e. in the direction of the successors of Plotin, who placed scientific character above religious-metaphysical ideas. Thus, in his later office of Bishop (from 410; it is reported that he allowed himself to be baptised only after he took office) he saw no contradiction with philosophy. Especially in his hymns, the connection between Christianity and Philosophy is a major theme. His numerous letters are an important witness to his thoughts and, at the same time, give clear insights into the period. "This collection (of letters), of which there are 156 written by him, offer us a biography and a history of the culture, behind which we can perceive the imposing personality of the academic author" (Lesky p.987). Phalaris, from 570 - 555 Tyrant of Akragas (Agrigent) and, traditionally, the archetype of the terrible tyrant, has not been considered to be the author of the collection of letters which were issued under his name since the end of the 17th century. Title and front end-papers with ownership entries (1559!! and later). Fly-leaves loose, slightly browned throughout, the margins in places stained. Provenance: Samuel Pellicanus (Zurich), Lassberg library; Court Library Donaueschingen. I: VD 16, S 10412; Hoffmann III, 465; Hieronymus/GG 467; BMSTC (German Books) 846 (mistakenly dated "1559"); Adams S 2208. Not with Schweiger. II: VD 16, P 2431; Hoffmann III, 54; Schweiger I, 226; Hieronymus/GG 269; BMSTC (German Books) 691; Adams P 976.
Order no.: 171 / 2150,00 EUR
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THEOKRIT (THEOCRITUS - THEOCRITOS).
(Greek:) Tade ene(s)tin, ente garoi se biblo Eidyllia hex kai triakonta. Tou autou Epigrammata enneakaideka. Tou autou peleky kai pterygion. Scholia ta eis auta heuriskomena ek dia-phoroon antigraphoon, eis hen syllechthen ta.
(Rome), Zacharias Kallierges 1516. 8vo. (88), (116) lvs. Two different woodcut devices. The poem "Pelekus" ("axe" / fol.m1 verso) is surrounded by a border formed as a Minoan double axe - head, the poem "Surligx" ("pan-pipe" / fol. i8 verso) by a border looking like a pan-pipe. In the case of the poem "Pteruglos" ("wing"/ fol.m 3 recto) the printer choosed a surrounding looking like a wing; on fol. m3 verso he used a border formed as a podium. Complete and printed in the original Greek. 18the century morocco binding (corners knocked [with occasional loss], some rubbing, new spine) with gilt-stamped rules to leading edges. First edition with commentary by Theocritus, at the same time first edition of the Epigrams, some Idylls as well as the two poems "Axe" and "Pair of wings"; early printing. Two variations of this edition are described in the British COPAC Catalogue: one has the word "enestin" on the title page lacking the Sigma, the other has been correctly printed. Additionally the former lacks the Latin privilege on the reverse of the last page, whereas this is present in the latter edition. The example offered here is - to our knowledge an unrecorded - third variant: title page lacking the Sigma (the missing Sigma has been added by hand in later ink), Latin privilege on the reverse of the last page present. The missing Sigma indicates an early printing before correction. Zacharias Kallierges (c. 1473 - post-1524), "the most important Greek printer" (Graecogermania p. 75) settled in Rome from 1524 - following two periods working as a printer in Venice and intermediate employment as a copyist of Greek manuscripts. In Rome he founded the first publishing house to use the Greek typescript. He was born into one of the most respected Cretian families and enjoyed an excellent humanistic education. This enabled him to collect together commentaries on Theocritus and to publish them (and thereby setting the trend for countlesss subsequent editions of Theocritus which repeatedly reprinted his Scholia). The Theocritus-Edition is Kallierges' second published work while in Rome (after the Pindar edition of 1515), only the fourth edition of the Greek lyricist, and the first to include the Scholia and the epigrams. Theocritus (born pre-300 B.C. in Syracuse, died post-260), spent part of his literary life in Alexandria (where he met Kallimachos) and some of his time on the island of Kos; little in the way of biographical information is known about him. The term "Idyllic" refers largely to the Scholia of Theocritus, although this does not refer to the "bucolic poetry" of later, but of "short pieces" generally; the origin of the term remains a mystery. Theocritus introduced the idea of bucolic poems to literature and in doing so, began a trend: Vergil was amongst his imitators and he, in turn, became the inspiration for lyricists producing this form of bucolic poetry to this day. "Whereas Vergil described an idealistic pastoral life in an Arcadian landscape, Theocritus portrayed the shepherds of his home country with a sense of great realism" (Lesky. p. 811). Praise for the ruling classes and common customs are further themes covered by the poet. The epigrams are frequently found on the gravestones of famous writers and poets, more generally as dedications, and occasionally as bucolic literature. As one of the most important propagators of so-called Alexandrinism, or court poetry found in the circles of the Ptolemaic dynasty in Alexandria, he systematically studied the classic, polis-orientated literature and, furthermore, moved away from it. Thus, his poetry is full of quotations and allusions, but also exploits ironic distance and the attempts to ignore standard limitations und to break traditional rules (see Effe in appendix to the Tusc.-edition). Front end-paper with paper defect and a paper strip with a poem, dated "1816", dated "1816", front fly-leaf with hand-writen entry. Title with ownership entry (Aeg. Delaunay), some hand-written old marginalia in Greek. Slightly browned throughout, minor staining, small tears (worming) in lower margin to ca. 15 leaves (some of them restored, all not affecting text). A well preserved copy of this important imprint. Censimento 16: CNCE 32693 (7 copies in Italy); Legrand I, 49 ("Édition rare et très recherchée"); Graecogermania 42; Hoffmann III, 474; Schweiger I, 309 ("sehr seltene und gesuchte Ausg."); BMSTC (Italian Books) 667; Adams T 460; Staikos 29 (with illustr.).
Order no.: 619 / 9500,00 EUR
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THEOPHYLACTUS Archiepiscopus Bulgariae
In omnes Divi Pauli epistolas Ennarationes ... (translated into Latin by Chr. Porsena)
(Cologne, P. Quentel) 1527. 4to. (6), 362 lvs. Contemp. blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards (darkend, soiled, edges and corners rubbed), spine labels, 1 clasp (of 2). Thus first edition, scarce.
According to Hoffmann the commentaries to the letters of Paul as published in translation under the name of Athanasius of Alexandria had appeared as early as 1477 and 1518, Quentel gives 1527 as the first issue under the correct author's name. Similarly, Hieronymus (Griechischer Geist) Erasmus von Rotterdam, in the dedication of an edition of Chrysostomos makes the comment "the commentaries to the letters of Paul which someone ascribed to him (i.e. Athanasius), are ... clearly the work of Theophylactus" (No. 397). The work was first printed in the original Greek in the 17th century. Theophylactus (1050/60 - post-1107) came from Euboia, enjoyed a high standard of education in Constantinople and became a priest and professor for public speaking (rhetoric); Emperor Michael VII engaged him as tutor to his son. Against his wishes he was appointed Archbishop of Ohrid (Bulgaria) and remained there for 25 years as metropolitan of the Bulgarian church. His commentaries to the four gospels and to Paul's letters belong to the standard works of Byzantine Exegesis. The well-preserved binding has unusual decoration: an outer framework is decorated with roll work showing a drum, a horn and a candelabra, within this the next frame is decorated with single stamp work showing the pomegranate motif, another roll of candelabra follows and a pair of figures. Front and back covers are the same. The EBDB assigns similar work to either southern Germany or to the Czech regions.
Lacking fly leaves, joints cracked. Library entries to front end-paper, ownership inscription to title. Some browning throughout and light staining. A well preserved copy in its original status.
VD 16, B 4991; Hoffmann III, 543; neither in Adams, nor in BL (Online-Catal.).
Order no: 628 900,00 EUR
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