Book Description: Mainz: Peter Schoeffer, 17 April, 1470. Printed on vellum; a copy from the collection of the famous manuscript and book collector Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872)., 1470. Hardcover. Book Condition: Fine. No Jacket. Size of binding: 12 in. x 17 in. x 2 1/2 in. 137 leaves (of 138; lacking the final blank leaf, as does the British Museum copy); average page size: 11 1/2 in. x 16 1/2 in. Printed in red and black, in double columns, the text of the Decretals being surrounded by an average of seventy lines of the Andreae commentary. The type is that originally cut for the Latin Bible of 1462; the type used for the commentary was cut for the Durandus of 1459, the first small text type ever cut. The rubrics are printed in red. With a fine, large, hand-written initial B in blue on the first page, and throughout the volume the capitals and paragraph marks are painted alternately in red and blue. At the end appears the colophon printed in red and beneath it the famous double-shield device of Fust and Schoeffer. Bound in full, English red morocco leather with six raised bands on the spine, with compartments richly gilt with floral tooling, and Latin titling, gilt-lettered in two compartments: VI. Liber Decretalium Cum Glossa. Magunt. 1470. The covers show similar borders of gilt lacework, with a large, diamond-shaped design, formed of various tools, in the center of the panels of the front and back covers, the cover edges and leather turn-ins also show gilt floral tooling. An unsigned, but very high quality, Eighteenth-Century binding, with marbled endpapers, and watermarked paper flyleaves bound in. Engraved, heraldic bookplate of Mark Cephas Tutet, on the front, marbled paste-down. A name has been clipped out of the upper right corner of the first added flyleaf. A magnificent copy of a great collection of Canon Law from the collection of Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872; who was described as a "vello-maniac", because of his passion for collecting vellum manscripts, and books and documents printed on vellum). Printed on vellum, one of only four copies recorded in America (in the 1940 Stillwell Second Census). Pope Boniface VIII (c. 1235-1303), was one of the foremost jurisconsults of his age; his official collection of Decretals was an addition to the five books of Gregory IX. The binding shows light wear to spine ends, outer hinges, some early abrasions to the outer covers. A few of the lower right corners of the vellum pages show early repairs with vellum, a few naturally occurring holes in the vellum margins, small, early repairs, a tear to the right-hand margin of the final vellum leaf, very light watering to some upper margins of the leaves, age-related dusting to the first and final leaf, and to some upper margins or corners. Provenance: Mark Cephas Tutet; Sir Thomas Phillipps; Rosenbach/Fleming. A monument of Fifteenth-Century typography. Hain: 3587; (HCR: 3587); Pelluchet: 2731; Procter: 90; BMC I 26 (IC 144); GW 4850; Brunet: Vol. 1; p. 1099; Stillwell (Second Census): B871; p. 106 (records four copies). Weight: 12 1/2 lbs. (Shipping is extra on this item). Bookseller Inventory # ABE-979938216
Book Description: Mainz: Peter Schoeffer, 7 September 1470. Issue b. Printed on vellum (163 leaves of the Second Volume). The Perckheimer-Earl of Arundel-Duke of Norfolk-Royal Society of London copy., 1470. Hardcover. Book Condition: Fine. No Jacket. Size of binding: 12 1/4 in. x 18 in. x 2 1/2 in. (thick). 163 leaves of the 210 leaves of the Second Volume, beginning with Distinctione 7, (with some breaks in sequence noted), with the blank verso present, and the colophon leaf with the double-shield printer's mark. Printed on vellum, with red rubric headings; colophon and Fust-Schoeffer double-shield device, also printed in red; in double columns, in 56 lines; type 5:118G. A finely drawn initial letter P, in light blue on the first page, with several gold initials present, and many, various sized, hand-painted initial letters in red, light blue, light green; other rubrications, paragraph headings added in red or blue. Rebacked with a maroon morocco leather spine, with gilt bands, and gilt-lettered titling: S. HIERONYMI EPISTOLAE MAGUNTIAE PETRUS SCHOEFFER PRINTED ON VELLUM 1470; with the earlier, dark brown, polished leather-covered boards, preserved, with gilt-tooled corners, and double-line borders around the cover margins, edges and inner leather turn-ins. All edges gilt; marbled paper endpapers. The lower margin of the first printed vellum leaf bears the Latin stamp of The Royal Society of London, which is repeated in reverse on the second paper flyleaf, which also bears an early bibliographical citation in ink. A stain on the front of the third printed leaf, a few small natural imperfections, or repairs to the vellum margins, light, age-related dusting to the front of the first page, the colophon page, some upper corners or margins. This is issue b. Vellum copies are considered as much rarer than the paper copies. Overall, a clean, and handsomely printed book. Provenance: Perckheimer/Pirckheimer; The Earl of Arundel; The Duke of Norfolk; The Royal Society of London; Rosenbach/Fleming. Hain: 8553*-8554; Proctor: 91-92; Polain 1947; BMC I 27 (IC 150); Stillwell: Second Census (1940); H152, p. 244. Goff: H-165. Weight: 13 lbs. Postage is extra on this item. Bookseller Inventory # ABE-979938225
Book Description: Mainz, Peter Schöffer, 4. April 1478., 1478. Dritte, bei Schöffer gedruckte Ausgabe. Pott Folio; 30,5 cm hoch, 20,5 cm tief. 196 (von 198) Bll. (a12, b-s10, t-v8). Blindgeprägter Kalbsledereinband. Guter Zustand. (Hain 15701; Goff T524) Die dritte, bei Peter Schöffer gedruckte Ausgabe der Erläuterungsschriften von Johannes de Turrecremata zu den biblischen Psalmen. Das Werk ist reich und äußerst kunstvoll geschmückt. Der Text enthält wunderschöne Initialen, die von sehr sorgfältiger Hand gemalt wurden. Insgesamt finden sich 149 sehr schöne rote Initialen in dieser Inkunabel sowie eine 5-zeilige und eine 7-zeilige blaue Schmuckinitiale. Auf der letzten Seite findet sich die sehr hübsche Holzschnitt-Druckermarke Peter Schöffers. Sie zeigt zwei Wappen und wurde komplett in roter Farbe gedruckt. Es muss angemerkt werden, dass die vorliegende dritte Ausgabe das erste Buch überhaupt darstellt, das mit einer Druckermarke versehen wurde. Besonders hervorzuheben an dieser Inkunabel ist jedoch der eindrucksvolle Originaleinband der Zeit, der in einem selten gesehenen und beeindruckend guten Zustand vorliegt. Die Messingbuckel der Deckel sind besonders gut und schön erhalten. Die zwei Messingschließen sind intakt. Das Kalbsleder über den massiven Holzdeckeln ist mit einem aufwendigen Rautenmuster in beeindruckender Blindprägung verziert. [Zustand des Einbandes: 2 / Zustand des Papiers: 2+ / Sonstige Anmerkungen: Der Einband ist berieben, aber nur leicht bestoßen, an Bünden und Kapitalen etwas beschabt. Eine kleine Fehlstelle im Leder des hinteren Deckels wurde fachmännisch ergänzt. Der mittlere der ursprünglich fünf Buckel des hinteren Deckels fehlt. Zwei der vier Eckbuckel weisen kleine Fehlstellen auf. Schließen und Vorsätze wurden erneuert. Es fehlen die beiden unbedruckten Blätter a1 und v8. Das erste Blatt ist stärker braunfleckig, die übrigen durchgehend leicht fingerfleckig und minimal wasserrandig. In der ersten Hälfte des Bandes finden sich Wurmgänge im Bereich des unteren Blattrandes (ohne Textverlust). Insgesamt liegt hier also eine sehr gut erhaltene und vollständige Ausgabe der Expositio von Johannes de Turrecremata vor.] Johannes de Turrecremata (auch: Juan de Torquemada), (1388 - 1468) war ein aus Spanien stammender Dominikanermönch. Sehr wichtig für sein Leben war seine Teilnahme an den Konzilien von Konstanz (noch als Student), Basel und Ferrara-Florenz. Er war nacheinander Bischof an verschiedenen Orten: Cadiz, Orense, Palestrina, Sabina und Léon. Turrecremata wurde vor allem durch seine 'Summa de Ecclesia' Vater der katholischen Ekklesiologie. Er beschreibt in vier Büchern Natur und Geheimnis der Kirche, den römischen Primat, die Konzilien, Schisma und Häresie. Darüber hinaus beschäftigte er sich mit weiteren theologischen Fragen, wie der Struktur geistlicher Gewalt und Fragen der Mariologie. Der aus Gernsheim am Rhein stammende Drucker Peter Schöffer (1425 - 1503) arbeitete ab 1452 in Gutenbergs Werkstatt in Mainz mit. Nach der Übernahme durch Johannes Fust stieg er zunächst zum Werkstattleiter auf, bevor er 1466 nach dem Tode Fusts und seiner Heirat mit dessen Tochter Christina Inhaber der Druckerei wurde. Schöffer gilt heute als einer der besten Drucker und Verleger der Inkunabelzeit. Er verbesserte den Druck mit beweglichen Lettern und etablierte die sogenannten Druckermarken als Herkunftsnachweis für Druckwerke. Zu seinen bedeutendsten Drucken gehört das 1457 veröffentlichte Mainzer Psalter, bei dem erstmals dreifarbig mit einem Druckstock gearbeitet wurde. Bookseller Inventory # 2CB
Book Description: Mainz, Peter Schöffer, April 4th, 1478., 1478. Third Schöffer edition. Pott Folio; 12.2 in x 8.2 in. 196 (of 198) ll. (a12, b-s10, t-v8).(Hain 15701; Goff T524) Blind-stamped calf binding. Good condition. Peter Schöffer's third edition of Johannes de Turrecremata's writings on the biblical psalms. The volume was decorated richly and artistically. The text contains beautiful initials painted by hand with great care. A total of 149 wonderful red initials as well as a 5-lines and a 7-lines blue initial can be found in this precious incunable. The last leaf shows Peter Schöffer's printer's mark. It depicts two coats of arms and was printed in deep red ink. It must be mentioned that this third edition of the 'Expositio super toto psalterio' is the first book that was ever provided with a printer's mark. The binding is especially captivating. It is the original incunabula binding and was preserved in a rarely seen and extraordinary condition. The original brass mountings on both covers are beautifully preserved. Both brass clasps are working. The calf binding over the original wooden boards was decorated with an elaborate blind-stamped pattern. [Condition of the binding: Good / Condition of the paper: Good (+) / Further remarks: The binding is rubbed but only lightly bumped. A small fault on the back cover was professionally repaired. Missing central brass mount on back cover. Two of the corner mountings with minimal damage. Lacking blank leaves a1 and v8. First leaf with stronger foxing, otherwise the paper is in excellent condition with only occasional light foxing. First half of the volume with few worm holes in lower part but without any text loss. A wonderfully preserved copy of this incunabulum edition of Turrecremata's 'Expositio'.] Johannes de Turrecremata (also Juan de Torquemada) (1388 - 1468) was a monk of the Dominican Order from Spain. He took an active part in the councils of Constance (as a student), Basle and Ferrara-Florence which had a great impact on his life. Turrecremata also acted as bishop in various places such as Cadiz, Orense, Palestrina, Sabina and Léon. Due to his work 'Summa de Ecclesia Turrecremata is regarded the father of Catholic Ecclesiology. The work consists of four books, each dealing with on of the following topics: Nature and the Secret of the Church, the Roman Primacy, the Councils, Schism and Heresy. Other than that, Turrecremata dealt with uncountable other theologian matters, such as the structure of the sacred power and questions from the field of Mariology. Peter Schöffer (1425-1503) was a printer from Gernheim at the river Rhine. From 1452 he worked in Gutenberg's workshop in Mainz and became the chief printer after the workshop was taken over by Johannes Fust. When the latter died in 1466, Schöffer married Fust's daughter and thus from the on owned the workshop himself. Schöffer is regarded as one of the best printers and editors of the incunabula age. He improved the technique of movable type printing and established the printer's mark as a proof of origin of printed books. One of his most important prints was the 'Mainz Psalter' published in 1457. It was the first work to be printed using three different colours on a single printing plate. Bookseller Inventory # 23EB
Book Description: Paris, Martin Crantz, Ulrich Gering and Michael Friburger, (ca. 1476)., 1476. Folio. 18th century light brown calf, gilt fillets along the edges, spine gilt in compartments with two red labels with gilt lettering: 'Legenda sanctorum' and 'Parisiis absque anno', gilt inner dentelles, marbled edges. Rubricated throughout with the capitals painted alternately in red and blue, the first initial in gold against a blue and red background, heightened with white interlace, with penwork extending into the right margin. Printed in two columns, 45 lines to a page. Type: 114SG. Collation: (a)-(m)10 (n)12 (o)-(z) (A)-(F)10. (292) lvs, complete with the first and last blank. One of the early incunable editions of the famous Legenda aurea, written and composed between 1260 and 1267 by Jacopo de Varazze - better known as Jacob de Voragine - in the Dominican monastery at Genua. Certainly it is the most popular and highly influential compilation of Saints' lives from the Middle Ages: at least 91 Latin, and 7 Italian, 5 English, 20 French, 2 German and 33 Dutch editions have been printed before the year 1500. The Legenda aurea contain ca. 160 lives of saints and 20 treatises on the principal feasts of the church. As there are a number of undated early editions, it is difficult to say which edition is the first, but probably the Zainer edition printed in Augsburg in 1468-70 can be considered as such.is the splendid and rare second Paris edition of the Legenda printed by the well-known combination of the three printers Martin Crantz from Strasbourg, Ulrich Gering from Constance and Michael Friburger from Colmar - all three being members of the intellectual set at the Sorbonne at Paris - who had started producing books with the financial backing of Guillaume Fichet and Jean Heynlin in the later part of 1470, establishing the very first press on French soil. After three years they moved their printing house, named 'Le soleil d'or', or 'In sole aureo', to the Rue Saint Jacques. On the first of September in 1475 their first edition of the Legenda aurea was published. The present undated edition appears to be the later one and is generally considered to be printed in the course of 1476.Contents:f. 1: blank. 2r: Prologus: Incipit prologus super legendas sanctorum; quas compilavit frater Iacobus Ianuensis natione, de ordine fratrum predicatorum; [U]NIVERSUM tempus. 2v-3v: Contents. 3v-281 r: (col. 2) Incipiunt legende sanctorum. Et primo de tempore renovationis agitur quod est adventus domini. 281v-282v: blank. 283r-291r: Tabula super legendas sanctorum incipit. 291r: Colophon: Tabula continens fere omnia notabilia legende auree desinit feliciter. Pulchre transcripta parisius per Martinum chrancz, Undalricum gering, et Michaelem friburger impressorie artis magistros. 292: blank Very beautiful copy of this extremely rare early 'Legenda aurea' edition printed by the first printers active in France; with wide margins and complete with the mostly lacking first and last blanks.- (Some occ. insignificant soiling). Cop. 6394; Oates 2876; Polain 6455 (only 4 copies, the copy in the Bibl. Nat. at Paris is incomplete); Claudin I, p. 79 (with plates of the first and last pages on p. 80-81); Hist. de l'édition franç. I, p. 166; not in NUC or Goff; cf. BMC VIII, p. 7 (1475 ed.: 294 lvs., 2 cols., and 45 lines). Bookseller Inventory # 17058
Book Description: (Strassburg, 'R' printer (Adolf Rusch), ca. 1470)., 1470. Folio. Contemporary calf over bevelled wooden boards, spine ribbed, with original green morocco label lettered in gold; both covers with blind tooled lozenge-shaped pattern with small fleur-de-lys and star stamps; original label with title and shelf-mark pasted to the front cover; in modern half calf case. Roman letter (Type: R 103), rubricated in red throughout with red paragraph marks and initials on the three to five line spaces left open, many with printed guide letters; wide margins (the measuring 295 x 215 mm.), 35 lines to a page; Collation: (a-d)10, (e)8+1(f. e2 added, no lost of text), (f)8, (g-i)10, (k)6, (l-m)8, (n-o)10, (p-q)8, (r-u)10, (x)8, (y)10, (z)8, (A)8-2 (without the mostly lacking last two blanks); 217 leaves. First edition of this very rare incunable. There are two undated editions of this work by the same printer Adolf Rusch, which were printed shortly after one another (HC 10471 and 10472) and our copy appears to belong to the first. The anonymous printer, whose modern nickname is derived from the peculiar 'R' of his 103 type is now generally identified with Adolf Rusch of Ingweiler who married Johann Mentelin's daughter Salome and who succeeded Mentelin - the very first printer in Strassburg - in his business after his death in 1479. Before that date he worked already partly for Mentelin and partly for his own, as our book shows. His type with the peculiar 'R' is the first Roman type ever used in Germany.Jacobus Magni (or Jacques Legrand) was a French Augustinian, born in Toulouse (ca. 1350) where he first worked as a librarian. Later on, at the beginning of the fifteenth century he moved to Paris to become a preacher. In Paris he came in contact with the Royal Court of Charles VI, where he preached in 1405 with much boldnes against Queen Isabel of Bavaris (1371-1435) and the inpopular Duc d'Orléans. After the assassination of the Duc, Le Grand was sent to England to negociate with the English King. He died around 1422. Being in essence an encyclopaedical work especially in the field of philosophy and economy, the Sophologium was considered to be a handbook of good manners at the same time. As such it had a great success and judging by the vast number of incunable and post-incunable editions the book became very popular during the first century of printing. In fact the work is an anthology of philosophy and science taken from numerous ancient writers and early Fathers, as well as Albumazar, Chaucer, etc. Because it is a well composed and rather complete summary of all relevant classical and medieval authors, the book was used intensively till far into the 17th century. The text was translated into French by Jacques le Grand himself and was published (only in abridged form) in Chablis in 1478 under the title 'Le livre intitule de bonnes meurs dédié à très -noble prince. Jean, fils du roi de France, duc de Berry.'. An English translation was printed by Caxton in 1487 with the title 'The Book of Good Manners'.The incunable has a very interesting provenance. On verso of the first fly-leaf a manuscript note states that this copy was given to the 'Convent of the regular Canons at the priory of St. Elisabeth or of the 'Good boys' (des Bons-Enfants)' in Liège in 1474 by Wilhelmus de Aquisgrani (of Aachen), canon of the St. Lambert Church at Liège (Monast. Belge, II, p. 376-9): "Liber regularium domus bonorum puerorum in Leodio. Quem dedit nobis venerabilis dominus wilhelmus de aquisgrani. doctor in sacra theologia. et canonicus ecclesie sancti lamberti leodiensis. oremus ergo cordialiter pro eo: Anno domino M. cccc. lxxiiii." Our copy is herewith the third copy known with an added date in manuscript - one with the date 1473 and one other with 1474 - giving a firm 'terminus ante quem' to the undated edition. We know also the orifinal shelf-mark of the book in the library of the convent: "M vi" is written on the label on the front cover, as well as on a label pasted to the verso of this cover.Furthermore our cop. Bookseller Inventory # 17062
Book Description: Haarlem, (Jacob Bellaert), 1484., 1484. Folio. Modern vellum. With large woodcut printer's device on verso of last leaf, 24 woodcut illustrations of one of the "Old Men" teaching a young female kneeling in front of him, printed from 4 different blocks, and all initials suplied by hand, incl. several beautiful large initials richly decorated and coloured by hand in red and purple with fine penwork in the margins, text rubricated throughout. (1 blank, 3), 136 (=135), (1) lvs. The second Dutch edition of Otto van Passau's religious instructive work, first published at Utrecht in 1480. "The Golden Throne of the 24 Old Men" is the only work known to have been left by Otto Von Passau, a Franciscan preacher who lived in the second half of the 14th century. The work is to be dated at 1383, and represents a fine mixture of Christian and Pagan wisdom. It is divided into 24 chapters, each containing a lecture by one of the old men of the Apocalipse, teaching nuns and brothers of lay orders a way of life which will lead them to the "Golden Throne" of eternal bliss. Each lecture has its own theme, like the essence of God and man, mourning, confession and penance, love, hope, the sacraments, friendship, death, the chosen, hell, the last things, etc. The work remained popular until the beginning of the 17th century. The book is finely printed in a good sized lettre bâtarde, in two columns, with 39 lines to a column. It is also most attractively illustrated with charming woodcuts, printed from four different blocks, which came originally from Haarlem block books. The first four leaves contain the table of contents and prologue. Our copy is furthermore richly and beautifully adorned with decorated initials in colour supplied by hand and rubricated throughout. Good large-paper copy, with contemporary owner's manuscript entry on verso of first blank, and early 17th century manuscript provenance on blank verso of the Prologue.- (Sl. thumbed and waterst., rather severily waterst. at the end; margins of last leaves restored without loss of text). Goff O 125; Campbell 1343; Hain-Copinger 12132; Polain 2941; Oates 3649; Proctor 9171; BMC IX, 101. Bookseller Inventory # 6871
Book Description: Venice, Erhard Ratdolt, 30 November 1482., 1482. 4to. (175 x 140 mm.) Nineteenth-century brown morocco with triple gilt lines along the edges of both sides, gilt spine, inner dentelles, gilt edges, bound by MATTHEWS (rebacked, original spine laid down). Title on f. A2 printed in red, 4 full-page woodcuts: (1) a tree of oratory in the first part (f. A3v); in the second part of the Ars memoriae: (2) mnemonic diagram with 25 animals (f. d3r), (3) mnemonic diagram with a moveable pointer in the shape of a snake (f. d3v), and (4) a chessboard with the pieces in opening positions (on the recto of the last leaf: f. d8r); a pictorial alphabet in 42 roundels of ca. 48 mm. diam. printed on 7 pages (f. c7v-d2v); numerous white-on-black woodcut initials of 5-11 lines; ruled in red throughout. 31 lines. Types 7:92G (heading on A2r), 3:91G (text), 6:56(75)G (inscriptions on tree cut), 91G (alphabet on c7r). 67 lvs. (out of 68: first blank (f. A1) lacking). Collation: A-D8, E6, a8, b6, c-d8. Unrecorded variant issue of the first printed treatise on the Art of Memory, illustrated with the first 'visual alphabet' by the mysterious Jacobus Publicius, together with Publicius's treatises on rhetoric and composing letters. It has been suggested that Johannes Lucillius Santritter edited this edition for Ratdolt. In our copy is the woodcut of a chess board on the recto of the last leaf, while in all other copies it is on the verso of f. d7! 'By the way': This is also said to be the first illustration of a chess board! Little is known of the author who says he is Florentine but may come from Spain. He lectured at Louvain, Basel, Leipzig, and in 1466 in Erfurt, where he after Pater Luder the second early-humanistic 'vagant' and teacher of Johann von Dalberg was. He is generally considered as one of the first itinerant humanists in Europe. In Erfurt he taught Greek for the first time and favoured Cicero as the best example for writing in Latin elegantly. His lectures were based on his own writings devoted to rhetoric and to the art of composing letters which were first published in Venice in 1482 (our edition!).(1) The book starts with the Oratoriae artis epitomata: A1 blank (lacking in our copy), A2r: Ars oratoria: author's prefatory letter to Cyrillus Caesar, A2v-E6v: text (De Civilium questionum: sive causarum generibus.De benevolentie captatione (A5r). De narratione inventionis parte secunda (A5v). Narratio iudicalis (A5v).De iurisiurandi veritate (A8r).De rumore et fama (A8v). De argumentatione (B2v). De ordine (B7v). De numero (E2v). De mode punctuandi (E3r). De dignitate elocutionis parte tercia ultima (E3v).(2) The second work is the treatise on composing letters, the Ars epistolandi: 'Ars Tulliano more epistolandi Iacobi Publicii ad Illustrissimum Principem Tarantinum Hispanie Ducem foeliciter (= Frederick I of Aragon; a1r), a1r-b8v: text (De officio et genere epistolarum (a1r) De speciebus generum (a1v). Diversi mode in diversis speciebus scribendum (a4r). De laude propria et aliena (a6r). Panagericium Iacobi Publicii Ad illustrissimum Principem Tarantinum (= Frederick of Aragon) incipit foeliciter (a8v). and other examples: Ad Rhomanum prino Pontificem (b3r). Ad Caesarem (b3v). Ad studiosos viros (b4v). Ad medicum (b5r). Ad scholasticum (b6r). Ad foeminas (b6v).(3) The most important work is the third treatise, the Ars memoriae: 'Iacobi Publicii Florentini ars memorie feliciter incipit et primo prefatio' (c1r), Divisio memorie (c1v), De ordine locorum (c2r). Locorum qualitas (c3r), Inventio locorum (c3v). Numerus locorum (c3v). Imaginem abolitio (c4v). Exercitatio locorum (c4v). Cognitio mentis (c6v). Iacbi Publicii Realium litterarum ceterarum quoque figurarum. Liber secundus and key to the woodcuts(c7r), c7v-d3v woodcut mnemonic aids, Iacobi Publicii imaginum liber tertius et ultimus (d4r-7r), d8r: woodcut of chess board with colophon.Publicius with this treatise played a significant role in disseminating classical mnemotechnics within the circles of scholars and students, as well as in. Bookseller Inventory # 979F5I01U79O
Book Description: 1497. Strasbourg, J. Pruss, 1497. In-folio de 360 feuillets, complet (a8, b-K6, I8, m-r6, s8, t-z6, Aa6, Bb8, Cc-Ee6, Ff8, Gg-Ii6,A8, B6, C6, D8, E-H6, J8, K-q6, R8, S6, T6, V8, aa6, bb4, cc-ee6 ; quelques rousseurs) ; gothique à double colonne de 54 lignes et titre courant, tables à 4 colonnes. Des herbes (ff. I à 202). Des animaux, poissons, oiseaux et pierres (ff. 203 à 332). Des urines et la table (ff. 333-360). Type : 4 : 300G. 15 : 210G. 13 : 13 : 146G. 8 : 80G. Veau fauve estampé à froid. Reliure moderne. 302 x 216 mm. PRÉCIEUSE ÉDITION INCUNABLE, LA SECONDE, DE L'UN DES PLUS IMPORTANTS HERBIERS IMPRIMÉS AU XVÈ SIÈCLE. BMC, I, 124 ; Goff, H, 487. Hain, 8941. Copinger, III, 267. Polain, 2001. Proctor, 1447. Schreiber, 4248. Nissen, 8941. TRÈS CÉLÈBRE, CET HORTUS SANITATIS OU JARDIN DE SANTÉ, OFFRE UN REFLET TRÈS FIDÈLE DES CONNAISSANCES MÉDICALES, DES DONNÉES D'HISTOIRE NATURELLE ET DES CROYANCES POPULAIRES DE LA FIN DU XVÈ SIÈCLE. Cette seconde édition incunable est illustrée de 1064 gravures sur bois dont 3 à pleine page. EXEMPLAIRE BIEN COMPLET ET GRAND DE MARGES, de ce fantastique herbier incunable, évocateur de ce mélange de connaissances et de croyance populaires. Si intimement liées dans l'esprit du chercheur de cette fin du XVè siècle. Bookseller Inventory # 82
Book Description: [Strassburg: The 'R-Printer', (Adolf Rusch), circa 1476] In a binding with the original chain., 1476. Hardcover. Book Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Folio; size of binding: 8 1/4 inches x 11 1/2 in. x 2 1/4 in. (thick). This copy consists of 217 printed leaves and a blank at the end, and is without signatures or catchwords. It is printed in Rusch's type 103, with 35 lines to the page, and appears to be one of the lastest books printed in this type, which was the first roman type used in Germany. The name "the R-Printer" is derived from the peculiar majuscule R in type 103. This printer is now generally identified with Adolf Rusch of Ingeweiler, who married Johann Mentelin's daughter Salome and is said to have succeeded to Mentelin's printing business. In this copy the capital letters, initial-strokes and paragraph marks have been supplied in red. Original blind-tooled calf, over oak, with authentic eleven inch iron chain attached to the back cover, (the back hinge of the binding broken), and the remains of a brass clasp. The early binder has covered the inside of his oak boards with leaves of vellum on which appear eight pages of an old manuscript book in Latin, written in a minute but clear hand, 32 lines to the page. This is an unrestored binding and shows some wear. In the Rosenbach Company Catalogue 56 p. 11; Exhibition of Monuments of Printing 1455-1500, June 1931; this book is listed as follows: 1470 Strassburg "R" Printer Jacobus Magnus' Sophologium, including eight leaves of thirteenth century MS. on vellum, with original chain. The Sophologium is a collection of moral maxims and wise passages from poets, orators, philosophers, and theologians, well selected and arranged in three books, containing ten treatises. It is especially valuable for having preserved passages from the works of 13th and 14th century authors once highly esteemed but little known today. The author of the Sophologium, Jacques Le Grand, or, as he is better known under his Latin name, Jacobus Magni, or Magnus, was born about the middle of the 14th century at Toulouse, France, and died after 1422. He was a member of the order of Augustinian Hermits, or Friars. Endowed with love of learning, he applied himself ardently to his studies and soon acquired a knowledge of all the sciences cultivated at that period. He was not ignorant of the Greek and Latin authors also. In his works he treats of all the sciences, divine and human, of all the virtues, and of the various states of life. Jacobus Magni became professor of philosophy and theology at Padua. He wrote commentaries on the philosophy of Aristotle, and was celebrated for his interpretations of the Scriptures. Rare example of an unrestored chained binding. Stillwell M 34 Hain-Copinger 10471 Proctor 240 British Museum Cat. Vol. 1, p. 62. Bookseller Inventory # ABE-983540416
Book Description: Zwolle, Pieter van Os van Breda, 1495, on Ascension Day, in May., 1495. Small folio. Nineteenth century red calf, spine ribbed and with gilt title, sides blind-stamped, g.e., preserved in slipcase. With woodcut printer's device at the end of the preliminaries and at the end of the book, full-page woodcut of the Virgin manifesting herself to S. Bernard, full-page woodcut of the Annunciation at the beginning of the main text, full-page woodcut of the Saviour on verso of last blank, and 18 woodcuts in text, all hand coloured, several half-page, showing the Circumcision, Jesus presented in the Temple, Mary meeting Elisabeth, etc., the smaller ones showing Christ raising from his grave, the Holy Trinity, Saints, etc., initials supplied in red, rubricated throughout. (4), CCLXXIIII (= 275), (1) lvs. Richly and most beautifully illustrated Dutch incunable, containing the sermons of S. Bernard of Clairvaux, both for the winter and summer time, published by Pieter van Os van Breda, the first printer at Zwolle. Nine woodcuts appear here for the first time: the entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the Descent into Limbo, the Resurrection, Pentecost, the Assumption, and three cuts of saints. The fine full-page woodcuts of the Annunciation, and of the Blessed Virgin appeared in earlier Zwolle editions and have been produced by woodcutters at Zwolle. The other woodcuts used were bought by Pieter van Os from the stocks of Gerard Leeu at Gouda, and Jacob Bellaert at Haarlem. The small woodcut printer's device shows two shields hanging from a branch with a six-pointed star inbetween, the left shield bearing the coat-of-arms of Zwolle and the right shield the printer's mark. The book is finely printed in a firm Gothic type, in two columns, with 40 lines to a page. Some errors occur in the numbering of the leaves, LI is skipped but corrected by LVII present twice, idem LXXX present three times, corrected by skipping LXXXI and LXXXIII, but between CCLXVII and CCLXVIII an extra CCLXI occurs which brings the total on 275 instead of 274. The woodcuts were studied by Hind and Conway, Hind drawing special attention to the title-woodcut of S. Bernard's vision, which he considered one of the finest Dutch woodcuts of the period. Good copy. With the bookplate of Dyson-Perrins.- (Binding sl. rubbed; a few stains). Goff B 435; GKW 3948; IDL 762; Campbell 276; Polain 606; Pellechet 2094; Proctor 9145; BMC IX, 88 (incomplete); Oates 3618; Kat. Schäfer 43; Reichling, App. Hain-Copinger, 2854; cf. Hind II, pp. 582-583; Conway p. 99 ff., and p. 267 ff. Bookseller Inventory # 4832
Book Description: Venice, Aldus Manutius, 1498., 1498. Folio. 17th/18th century polished calf, spine richly gilt in compartments with red morocco title label, both sides with triple gilt fillets along the edges and large gilt oval coat-of-arms in the centre, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers. The coat-of-arms is of Henri-Louis Loménie, comte de Brienne (1658-1743), son of Louis Henry Loménie de Brienne. (452) lvs.Collation: a-p4, q-r5, s-t4, A-I4, K2, L-P4, Q-R5, S4, T5, V3, X-Y5, Z4, &5, iterum2a-iterum2b4, 2a5, 2b-2h8, 2i3, 2k5. The 'Opera omnia' of Angelo Poliziano (1454-1494), one of the great Florentine humanists and tutor to Lorenzo de'Medici's children, printed by the most famous printer/publisher of the incunable's period: Aldus Manutius at Venice.According to Renouard, the great bibliographer of the Aldine editions, this rare edition is "l'une des plus belles qui soient sorties de l'imprimerie Aldine".The publication of the Opera omnia of Poliziano has a complex history. It has been usual to regard the edition as part of some 'grand design' of humanist publication: apart from Aldus' admiration for Poliziano as the embodiment of that perfect philological skill to which he himself aspired, we might notice that the book was printed as a large folio, costing 1.4 ducats and demanding typographic experiments such as the first use of Hebrew letters (Lowry).Indeed Poliziano was the outstanding humanist of his day, a talented scholar whose breadth of reading was very great and whose range of interests included history, politics, jurisprudence, architecture, botany, and even cooking. These interests were accompanied by a remarkable ability to handle Greek, in which language Poliziano composed many epigrams. His influence on the subsequent course of Humanism was considerable. He may be considered the father of textual criticism, for he was the first to consider carefully the relationship between manuscripts and to stress the need to reconstruct the original text. He brought all these talents to bear on thorny textual and interpretative questions in texts like his Miscellanea (1489) and his commentary of the Pandects. He also translated many Greek texts into Latin such as the Manual of Epictetus and a number of books of the Ilias. And then there is his own poetical output that reflects his scholarly eclecticism; he wrote in an erudite style, displaying his own considerable reading.Poliziano was a celebrity in his day. Among those who idolized him was the young Aldus Manutius who decided to publish Poliziano's complete works in the late '90s. After Poliziano's death in 1494 the humanist Pico della Mirandola started a project to organize Poliziano's papers to the end of publishing an edition of his collected works, which eventually became our edition published by Aldus and edited by Alessandro Sarti.After the title comes on its verso Aldus' dedication to Marinus Sannutus.f. 2r-v: The contents of the work: the authors of the letters, divided into 12 books as well as the list of Poliziano's works.f. a3r-t8v: Epistolarum lib. 1-12.f. A1r-K3v: Miscellanea, dedicated to Laurenzo de' Medici.(K4 blank (this leaf is often lacking))f.L1v-R10v: Latin translation of Herodiani historia.S1r-S8v: Latin translation of Enchiridion Epicteti.T1r-2b5v: Smaller works: prefaces, orations, etc.2b6r-2k1v: Poliziano's Latin poetry.2k2r-2k8v: Poliziano's Greek poetry, with at the end the colophon: "Venetiis in aedibus Aldi Romani mense Iulio M. IID."2k9r-2k10r: list of all the quires and the first words of the double leaves.2k10r: Verses on the death of Lorenzo de Medici (often lacking).(Quire 2a ('Oratio super Quintiliano et Statii', and 'Praefatio in Suetonium) is bound after quire "iterum 2b" in stead of before quire "iterum 2a").Our copy has an interesting provenance: (1) the gilt coat-of-arms on both covers is of the bibliophile Henri-Louis de Loménie, comte de Brienne, born in 1658, married in 1689 to Jacqueline-Charlotte Brulart and died at Paris in 1743, after having sold his father's library in Londo. Bookseller Inventory # 77KG4EYOC0PZ
Book Description: (Leiden, Hugo Jansz. van Woerden, after May 1498)., 1498. 8vo. Modern mottled calf over boards, ribbed spine with title lettered in gold, g.e. Rubricated and underlined in red throughout, some initials with penwork (2-3 lines) in blue and red; with full-page woodcut of Christ with the instruments of the passion on the title and 6 (out of 9) full-page (one a bit smaller) woodcuts in 'Die.ix. couden' (f. 14v-31v) and one - a Crucifixion - on f. 63v at the beginning of 'Vanden ghescoerden oliven boem'. All woodcuts but the last one are coloured by a strictly contemporary hand. 74 (out of 80) lvs. 20 lines on a page. MANUSCRIPT.- SEVEN PSALMS AND PRAYERS. Netherlands, ca. 1500. 8vo. 85 lvs, (118x85mm.); one column; 20 lines per page; rubricated throughout, lombards (1-2 lines) and titles in red (the four initials of 2-4 lines not executed). : Hybrida libraria in a good and very well readable hand: the script of the Modern Devotion. Collation: (a)6 (6), (b)10 (16), (c) -(i)8 (72), (k)12+1 (85). Ad 1: Unrecorded edition of this Dutch devotional book containing among other texts and prayers, the texts of the "Oeffeninghe van den heiligen cruse", "Die.ix. couden die onse here ihesus christus leet", and "Die seven banden". There are several editions of this text, listed by Nijhoff/Kronenberg under Boecxken (Boeck) van (go(e)der) devocien or Couden, Die negen, published in Leiden, Delft, Utrecht and Antwerp between c. 1501 and 1539.The text is closest to NK 4317 (Antwerp, Adr. van Berghen, 1506), but the blocks are those originally used by Hugo Jansz. van Woerden in an edition of the Leven Ons Heren (Leiden, 1498; CA 1111, IDL 2943). The series, containing 50 blocks, is Conway, 30.1.1-50. Two of these blocks are illustrated in Nijhoff's L'Art Typographique under 'Amsterdam, Hugo Jansz. van Woerden', nrs 4 and 5, as used in his edition of Dat Lijden ons liefs heren Ihesu Christi (Amsterdam, ca. 1510?; NK 1372). The blocks used by Henric Pietersz. Lettersnijder in his edition of Die negen couden (Delft 1511; NK 624), as illustrated in Nijhoff's L'Art Typ. are very close, but not the same (Plate II, nrs. 6 and 7).Possibly our edition is published therefore by Herman Jansz. van Woerden after May 1498. This is the more probably as this printer published many devotional books of the same kind. Herman Jansz. was active in Leiden from 1494 - ca. 1506, in Haarlem in 1506 and in Amsterdam, 1506 - ca. 1514, so as the place of printing both cities, Leiden or Amsterdam (or Haarlem), are possible.As the text of the edition by Jan Severs (Leiden, no date; NK 438) is also more or less the same as the text in our edition, it could also be possible that Jan Severs is the printer of our edition. Jan Severs was active in Leiden from ca. 1501 till ca. 1520. As the printers in Antwerp have used different woodcut blocks to illustrate this texts, it is very probable that our edition is printed in the Northern, and not in the Southern Netherlands.Collation: [a]8-2 (f. 2/7 missing; f. 1-6), b8 (f. 7-14), c8-2 (f. 4/5 (between 17/18) missing; f. 15-20), d8-1 (f. 3 (between 22/23 missing; f. 21-27), e-i8 (f. 28-67), k8-1 (last blank missing; f. 68-74). 20 lines to a page.Contents:f. 1r: Dit is dat boexken van goeder devocien. | Ende een oeffeninghe, hoemen god bidden | sal. ende om sijn passie te ouerdencken. [houtsnede (full page) of Christ with the instruments of the passion]f. 1v: Inc.: Item dit is een suuerlic boecxken. | van sonderlingher schoenre oeffenin|ghe der ghebenedider passien ons lie|ves heeren ihesu cristi. So is hier ten | eersten een schone oeffeninghe vanden | heilighen cruce Item ten anderen van negender | leye couden die onsen lieven here geleden heeft f. 2r - f. 14v: [begin ontbreekt: Oeffeninghe van den heiligen cruse.]f. 14v-31v: Die.ix couden die onse here ihesus christus leet.- f. 14v: Item hier beghinnen die.ix. couden die onse here ihsus xristus leet - f. 31v: Expl.: Hier enden dei.ix. couden. Ende hier na so volghen die seuen banden.f. 32r - 48r: Die seven banden.- f. 32r: Soe wie ghebon. Bookseller Inventory # 22372
Book Description: Belgium Not after 1475, 1475. RARE PRINTING AND A HIGHLY ELUSIVE EDITION. ONE OF THE FIRST BOOKS PRINTED IN BELGIUM. Handsomely illuminated: 9-line initial in gold on [a]1; 18-line initial in blue and white on [a]2; 7- to 11-line book opening initials in red and blue with pen-work decoration; 3-line chapter-opening initials in red or blue; [aa]1 with leafy borders on both side of leaf. Early annotations in a fine calligraphic hand. Folio [390 x 281 mm.] , bound in contemporary Renaissance styled half pigskin over wooden boards, the spine with raised bands. 417 leaves (of 420). A beautiful and finely preserved copy. Without the blank leaves at the end of each text) only; [aa]1 remargined and probably supplied from another copy; and with the tabula complete and bound at the front. ONE OF THE FIRST BOOKS PRINTED IN BELGIUM. THE RAREST OF ALL INCUNABLE PRINTINGS OF JOSEPHUS Ð and very probably the rarest of all printings of Josephus altogether Ð this book remains a bibliographic "mystery." No printer (or town) has been assigned to this book and the dating is a terminus ante quem based on an acquisition note (dated "1475") in the British Library copy. The text appears to have been based on a corrupt manuscript source, and this particular copy has been closely read and neatly corrected in the text body at an early date. Goff lists this edition second in his Josephus entry in Incunabula in American Libraries, suggesting that itÕs actual dating may in fact be earlier than 1475. We think that the bibliographic study of this particular copy -- the comparison of its text and corrections with other early editions -- may reveal this editionÕs relative positioning to other incunable editions with greater certainty. As it stands, the current ascription of this edition to "Belgium, not after 1475" makes this One of the First Books Printed in Belgium. Only a very small number of copies of this edition are known to exist: some 3 or 4 copies are in American libraries; the British Library and Oxford own copies; but there is apparently no copy at the Bibliotheque Nationale, and no copies are listed in the World Catalog. Bookseller Inventory # 21480
Book Description: Venice. Aldus I Manutius, December 1497., 1497. Folio. Later vellum with title ('Dicion. Graeca Latin') written in an Italian hand on the spine, remains of ties. Small woodcut initial on f. O1; text printed in 2 cols. of 42 lines (Index in 3 cols. with 55 lines). 244 lvs, including the last blank. Colophon: a-k8, l10, A-K8, L10, M8, N10, O8, p-r8, s6, t8. Rare first Aldine edition of this celebrated Greek-Latin dictionary, originally composed by Johannes Crastonus (ca. 1420-1498) on the basis of an older dictionary by Constantino Lascaris. Together with Marcus Musurus, Aldus has re-published the first edition of Crastonus's work which had been printed by Bonus Accursius in Milan ca. 1478. A second edition was printed in 1483 by Dionysius Bertholus in Vicenza, the first dictionary with the word Lexicon in its title.In his preface (edited by Renouard, pp. 13-4) Aldus doesn't mention the name of the author Crastonus, reason why Aldus is often considered to be the author. He is, however, only responsible for composing the Latin index at the end. In this index Aldus refers to the number of the leaf and line of the Greek dictionary. It is strange, however, that the leaves are not numbered. In his preface (f. 202v) Aldus gives the advice to start with numbering the leaves: 'nota tibi in extremitate libri arithmeticis numeris singulas chartes' ! And indeed our copy is numbered in a contemporary hand from 1-200. Added are several Greek philological texts:Contents:- f. 1r: Title.- f. 1v: Preface by Aldus: 'Aldus Manutius Romanus studiosis omnibus S.P.D.', concluded by two Greek poems by Scipio Fortiquerre (1466-1515) and Markos Musuros (1470-1517).- f. 2r-171v: Greek-Latin dictionary.- f. 171v-181r: (on the title: Cyrillus, but is:) Johannes Philoponus, Collectio dictionum quae differunt significatu secundum ordinem alphabeti.- f. 181v-198r: Ammonius, Hermias, De differentia dictionum per literarum ordinem. (f. 198v: blank).- f. 199r-201v: Vetus instructio & denominationes praefectorum militum.- f. 201v-202r: Two short philological texts: 'Ta tou e semantika' and 'Ta tou oos semantika'.- f. 202v: Aldus preface for the Latin index. -f. 203r-242v: Latin index.- f. 243r-v: catchwords, quire sequence and imprint: 'Venetiis in aedibus Aldi Manutii, Romani Decembri mense M. IIID. Et in hoc quod in caeteris nostris ab Ill. S. V. concessum nobis'.- f. 244: blank. Very good copy with 16th-century (?) ownership's entry in Latin and Greek charaxcters on the title: 'Ludus La Motte', and some 16th and 17th-century annotations, the latter by Padre Derio (on the first fly-leaf occurs the note 'Revisto per il Padre Derio 1629'.- (Half loose, some worm holes towards the end (partly skilfully repaired)). Renouard, Annales Alde, p. 13, nr. 7 (".belle et très rare"); GW 7814; HC* 6151; BMC V, 558; Goff C-960; Proctor 5561; Pell. 4042; Lefèvre 150; Polain (B) 1202; IDL 1424; IGI 3256; Vouillième (B) 4496; Sack (Freiburg) 1188; Walsch, 15th-cent. printed books Harvard 2655-7; Sheenan, Vaticana C-465; Oates 2180; Rhodes (Oxford Colleges) 637; Lowry, The world of Aldus Manutius, p. 112, 114-5; N. Barker, Aldus Manutius and the development of Greek script & type in the 15th century (with original lvs. from the first Aldine editions of. Crastonus' Dictionarium) (1985); on Crastone: Diz. biogr. degli Italiani 30, pp. 578-80. Bookseller Inventory # 976G6JMFQHCT
Book Description: Johan Pruess Not after 21 October, 1497, Strassburg, 1497. Second edition. Folio. 360 leaves, complete. Double column text. Illustrated with over 1,000 woodcuts showing plants and herbs, land animals, birds, fishes, stones and minerals (including the magnet). There are 3 full page woodcuts which show a teacher and his students, a human skeleton and a pharmacy (apothecary) with a doctor and a pharmacist. Bound in modern (c. 1900?) plain stiff vellum, with overlapping fore-edge. Title leaf soiled and with some marginal repairs. Old water stain at top outer edge (mostly in the blank margin, but sometimes into a bit of the text as well). Some marginal tears (repaired); 4 leaves have repaired tears which go into the letter- press, but without any loss. The top (blank) outer corner of the final leaves repaired. An untrimmed copy with full margins. The second edition (after the Mainz 1491 printing). It is the first edition to be printed by Pruess, who printed three editions before 1501. One of the most richly illustrated books of the 15th century and one of the great works of medieval science, medicine and botany. The encyclopedic text includes an index of diseases, a long treatise on urine and its properties, a discussion of gemstones, pharmacology, animal husbandry, etc., etc. With approximately half of the text relating to plants & herbs, it is considered one of the great early herbals. BMC I, 124; Goff H487; Hain 8941; Klebs 509.3. Dibner. HERALDS OF SCIENCE #77. The second edition (after the Mainz 1491 printing). Bookseller Inventory # 2833
Book Description: Strassburg, Johannes Reinhard Grüninger, 1498., 1498. Folio. Elegant 19th century gilt dark green morocco. Large woodcut on title, and over 160 woodcuts in text. (6), 207, (1 blank), (6) lvs. First illustrated edition of Horace, edited by the poet laureate Jacob Locher, and founded on German manuscripts. Since this is the first edition based on German manuscripts, in stead of Italian, Brunet considers it an "editio princeps". This edition is of great interest because of the splendid illustrations. They were probably made by artists from Terenz, near Strasbourg. The woodcut on the title, repeated at the beginning of each of the 8 books, depicts Jacob Locher studying. On the second leaf is a charming image of the Nine Muses, of which Calliope is shown enthroned, crowning the kneeling Horace. The first book, Carmina, opens with a large woodcut of Horace, facing Mecenas with two attendants. Another interesting woodcut also in the first book, is at the beginning of the second ode. Here Julius Caesar is shown in oriental costume with scimiter, turban and imperal crown, being slain by Brutus and Cassius. All woodcuts are in splendid impressions. The present copy also contains some manuscript inscriptions, including a 15th century note at the end by a professor at the University of Louvain: "Istius Libri possessor est Johannis de Delft.morali(bus) lovanii pedagogio lilii". The work is complete with the index at the end. Fine copy. BMC I, 112; Goff H 461; Hain-Copinger *8898; Fairfax Murray 205. Bookseller Inventory # 14719
Book Description: Venice, Aldus Manutius, February1495 (=1496)., 1496. Folio. Modern red morocco, spine gilt in compartments with title lettered in gold, covers with ornamental gilt borders, on both covers blind tooled ornament in centre, red sprinkled edges. With 37 fine woodcut headpieces (2 by the famous Poliphilus master, and 39 woodcut 'bianchi-giari initials'. (140) lvs. Collation: AA-?D8, EE-?G6, 2Z2?10, 2A2?-2D2?8, 2E2?6, ?a-?b8, ?c10, ?d-?e8. The first very rare issue of the original and only edition of one of the first books produced by the famous printer/publisher Aldus Manutius. In fact this edition is the third book that left the Aldine presses in the year Aldus started his printing activities in Venice. Aldus began his professional career as a teacher, not as a printer, and as such saw a need for the publication of the Greek and Latin classical authors, whose works figured high in the Renaissance humanist agenda. While many of these works had been published by the end of the fifteenth century, a large number had not yet seen print. This lack was especially acute in the case of Greek authors, and when Aldus decided to begin a printing business these authors were the ones he emphasized. His development of greek and italic fonts and, somewhat later the octavo format, point toward a carefully planned program for the dissemination of the ancient classics.Under Aldus's program, works of numerous Greek and Latin authors, including the present collection of Greek poetical texts, were published for the first time, and works by others appeared in better editions than had previously been available. The 'editiones principes' in this collection include 12 of the Ecloques of Theocrit, Hesiod's Theogonia (or De generatione deorum) and selections from the Greek Gnomic poets. It is the most interesting of all Greek Aldus editions, containing a wide variety of linguistic forms and packed with mythological or moralizing passages, and as such of highly interest for the educationalist and the history of humanism in general and the beginning of the study of Greek language and literature in particular. In his nearly twenty years as a printer, Aldus labored tirelessly at the press and left to the world a rich legacy of beautiful books and scholarly texts. These books are still admired for their attractive typography, clean lines, and good design as well as their scholarly contributions. Through his publications, Aldus contributed to the survival of many ancient texts and greatly facilitated the diffusion of the values, enthusiasm, and scholarship of the Italian Renaissance across the rest of Europe. Aldus demonstrated to the printing world that scholarly books could be produced finely as well as profitably; and he convinced the scholarly world of the value of printing. Also the present collection was published with the express understanding that it would be used in the classroom. In his preface and dedication to Bapt. Guarino, the son of Guarino Veronese, who taught Aldus Greek in Ferrara, the printer writes: "Here, most illustrious master, is the Theogonia of Hesiod, which you ask me to provide for the public instruction of your pupils". The other most important editio princeps present in this edition is the publication for the first time of 12 of the Ecloques of Theocrit, based on a manuscript in the Vatican (MS Vat. Gr. 1311). The first 18 eclogues are published here after the edition Milan 1480. The present Aldus edition of the Eclogues was taken as the basis for the Juntina edition of 1516 and has as such influenced the history of the text transmission of Theocrit's eclogues until the present day. The most famous 17th-century editor of Theocrit for instance, Daniel Heinsius from Leiden, admired this Aldus edition very much.There are two issues of this edition of which the first is the most rare. The differences - which are in general not very important as regards content - occur in the quires ZF and ?G (p. 77-80 and 85-100), the most obvious being the four verses on f. ZF1r occupying two lines (2nd is. Bookseller Inventory # 74RD10G5BNTU
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![Sophologium. [Chained Binding].: Magni, Jacobus (Jacques](http://pictures.abebooks.com/PETEBKS/tn/tn983540416.jpg)
