BOOK OF HOURS, Latin and French, Use of Rome by [Book of Hours Latin and French, Use of Rome] - [1518]

Paris: Germain Hardouyn. (Colophon: "ont este imprimees a Paris pour Germain Hardouyn demorant entre les deux portes du Palais a lenseigne de Saincte Marguerite., [1518]. First of the edition. Printed on vellum and beautifully illuminated with forty hand-painted miniatures. There are sixteen large and twenty four small miniatures (i.e. metalcuts) painted in blue, red, brown, green, yellow, white and gold, and numerous one- and two-line initials in gold and blue, pictorial metal-cut borders throughout (partly illuminated). With full page miniatures: Skeleton, Maria with the infant Jesus, Jesus on Mount of Olives, Flight to Egypt, The Three Magi, Nativity, Crucification, etc. 8vo (17.8 x 11/0 cm), handsomely bound in eighteenth century full marbled, polished calf, the edges gilt, the spine with raised bands gilt decorated. 112 leaves, printed on vellum in a Gothic typeface (twenty-four lines per page). Almanach / Calendar for the years 1518 -1525. Signatures: A - O8 (14 quires) = 112 leaves (complete). A handsome and well preserved copy, complete. A FINE PRINTED BOOK OF HOURS FROM THE EARLY 16TH CENTURY, PARIS. In the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century, printed books of hours like the present copy were produced in greater numbers than manuscript horae, in part in order to meet the demands of a bourgeoning middle class audience that could afford such items.
RARE. Not in Brunet, Bohatta, Lacombe, Mortimer French, Adams