L. ANNAEI SENECAE CORDUBENSIS PHILOSOPHI SUMMI FLORES by Seneca Lucius Annaei - 1589

Paris: Rob. Stephani, 1544. Hardcover. See Description. First and only Estienne edition. 8vo. pp. 208, [32]. Title page with Estienne device [Renouard Typographiques #294]. Latin text printed in italic. The title page shows some mild spotting; a faint monogram is also written in an old hand on either side of the printer’s device. Interior pages are clean and crisp. Bound in early 19th century straight grained red morocco with spots of rubbing to the extremities. The outer joints are professionally strengthened. The upper corner tip to the front cover is neatly patched. All edges are gilt. The inside front cover contains the heraldic book plate and the monogrammed ticket of English book collector Sir John Hayford Thorold (1773-1831) [See De Ricci, "English Collectors…" plate VIII, also pp. 159-160]. An additional heraldic plate from another owner is located on the marbled fly-leaf. Contents include the extant historical works of the Roman statesman and author Caius Crispus… Read More

[Edinburgh: Robert Lekpreuik, 28 November, 1566., 1566. folio. ff. [14], ii-cxxii, cxxiiii-cxlv, [1], cxlvi-clviii, [2], clix-clxviii, [2], clxix-clxxxii. lacking initial blank & blank c4. woodcut title. woodcut initials. black letter. 19th century russia, gilt centre ornaments, gilt inside dentelles (joints repaired, head & foot of spine chipped, some of first few leaves apparently supplied from another copy, title cropped & repaired at corners with part of lower outer corner supplied in facsimile, marginal repairs to other prelims, occasional light soiling, light dampstaining in second part). a few old marginal notes. First Edition, variant issue, of the earliest collection of Scottish acts and statutes, compiled by James Balfour and others, and edited by Edward Henryson. The commission to compile and publish the laws, known as the ‘Black Acts’, was appointed by Queen Mary largely through the advice of John Leslie, Bishop of Ross. The work, covering the period from the… Read More

Paris: Robert Estienne, 15[38]-39. 5 Parts in 2 Volumes. folio. pp. 8 p.l., 288; 340 [i.e. 640], [6]; 416; 450, [1 leaf]; 158, [100]. 6 titles with woodcut printer’s device. several woodcut initials. 17th century calf, recornered & rebacked with gilt spines mounted (staining to p. 240 of second part, lower blank margin of title of 3rd part renewed, a few small round wormholes at beginning of Vol. II). numerous neat old ms. marginal notations & some scoring in first volume. Second Edition edited by Italian classical scholar, Pietro Vettori [1499-1585], elegantly printed in folio format by Robert Estienne. It is based on the Giunta Venice edition of 1534, with a few additional notes by the editor. The five parts comprise the rhetoric (Part I), the orations (Part II), the letters (Part III), the philosophical writings (Part IV), and Vettori’s commentary (Part V). Adams C1640. BM STC French p. 109. Brunet II 7 (incorrectly citing 6 Vols.). Moss I p. 291. cfRenouard p. 48 (citing 4 Vols.… Read More

Paris: [B. Prévost for] Jean de Roigny, 1552., 1552. folio. pp. 2 p.l., [3]-776, [38]index & colophon. numerous large criblé & smaller foliated initials. 145 woodcuts in the text measuring approximately 2 x 3". (including some repeats). 17th century sheep, rebacked with gilt spine mounted, corners renewed (some scarring to covers, occasional stains, dampstaining to some leaves in middle gatherings). First Thierry Edition, First Issue, with colophon dated November 1551 rather than January 1552. An important recension of the six comedies of Terence by Jean Thierry, incorporating the commentaries of sixteen leading Renaissance humanists, inlduding Erasmus, Dolet, Glareanus, Melanchchton, Bembo, &c. This edition is also notable for its one hundred and forty-five theatrical woodcuts (including repetitions), depicting an actor on a medieval stage surrounded by his audience, and actors against a background of stage draperies. According to Mortimer "the text, notes, and… Read More

ANTUERPIAE: APUD IOANNEM BELLERUM SUB AQUILA AUREA. In 24. Dim. 13x8 cm. Pp. (36)+370+(24).Rarissima edizione senza data ma del 1580 della nota leggenda "Barlaam Iosaphat". Il racconto, attribuito a San Giovanni Damasceno (676-749) e popolarissimo in età medievale narra la conversione di Iosafat per merito del Santo eremita Barlaam. Sembra che la storia venne in realtà ricalcata sul modello della vicenda della conversione del Buddha. San Giovanni Damasceno venne dichiarato dottore della chiesa nel 1890. Opera redatta a cura di Georges Trapezuntius. Alla fine del volume la breve opera "De comparatione regis et monachi" di Giovanni Cristostomo a cura di Germain Brice. Antica firma al frontespizio e sottolineature all'interno. Bella legatura in piena pergamena coeva con titolo manoscritto al dorso. Rarissimo, solo sette copie censite su ICCU. Collazionato e risultato completo. Copertina in piena pergamena molle seicentesca con titolo manoscritto al dorso in buone… Read More

Basel: Adam Petri de Langendorff. Second Latin edition, 1517. Hardcover. Good. Fine border of cherubs riding dragons, nudes, men in armour, foliage, columns etc. signed Urs Graf (U.G.) and with date 1516.. Folio bevelled wooden covers with wide rolled pigskin spine handsomely blind stamped with rampant lions in lozenges between parallel strands of vines & flowers. TP is printed in red & black. Spines with three raised bands and diamond shaped alternating with stylized flower tools (lacks clasps/some worm holes to wood and vellum) Fore-edge lettered Simon de Cassea (14)+469 leaves + colophon with large printer's mark for Alantsee of 2 griffons suporting a shield with cipher ALT and supporting an oak tree above (total fatness of book just under 11cm) TP with three ownerships (2 on top margin one with a single line through it the 3rd to side of text) Fore-edge of TP slightly rough & tanned. Some large foliated initial capitals and fine double column typography of this near incunabulum. Some worm holes… Read More

Lyon: Iohnnes Clein, 1515. Hardcover. See Description. [c.1515]. 4to. pp. [280]. p.[280 blank]. Colophon dated "nono kale[n]das Octobris" (23 Sept.). Title page printed in red and black inside woodcut architectural border. Woodcut printer's device (Sylvestre 132). Printed in Roman font with the surrounding commentaries printed in Gothic. Text contains decorative initials. Bound in contemporary blind stamped paneled calf boards; re-backed preserving original spine. Later antique endpapers with inscription on front-free endpaper dated "1925"; front and rear blank fly-leaves worn. Pages are generally clean with occasional marginalia in an old hand (i.e. several small inscriptions written on the title page); minor spotting; lower corner of leaf c7 clipped in margin; The hinges and inner margins to the first gathering are neatly strengthened / repaired. The outer edges to this same gathering show some wear - i.e. a few marginal tears (sealed), and light soiling. The bottom margins… Read More

Venice: Comin da Trino di Monferrato, 1558. Hardcover. See Description. Third Edition. 4to in 8’s. ff. [8], 168. Including decorative initials and 84 woodcut illustrations with the text. Title within woodcut border depicting a variety of metallurgical and mining equipment. Final leaf (recto) contains a printer’s device and colophon - "In Vinegia per Comin da Trino di Monferrato MDLIX" [1559]. Attractive copy. Pages are generally clean and fresh with occasional mild spotting / staining. An old bookplate from the "Royal Military College" is located on the inside front cover. The bookplate is stamped "Sold by H.M Stationery Office." Bound in original limp vellum (minus thong fore-edge ties). Minus binder’s blank fly-leaf in the rear. Vannoccio Biringuccio (1480-1539?) was a Siennese nobleman, engineer and metallurgist. His "Pirotechnia" (first published in Venice, 1540) is considered the earliest detailed hand-book on metallurgy. The work contains… Read More

Venetiis: Apud Aldum. [Figurato Aldina] (cm.15,8) ottima solida piena pergamena XVIII secolo, tassello in pelle con titolo e fregio in oro.-- cc. 124 nn.(di cui l' ultima bianca), pp. 676, cc. 136. Con 20 xilografie n.t. di cui 7 a piena pagina + 2 tavv. f.t. ripiegate con la Spagna e la Francia. Ritratto di Aldo Manuzio al frontis con al verso grande stemma di Massimiliano II, il tutto in xilografia. Importante edizione basata sulla celeberrima del 1513. Il pregio di questa nostra stà nel fatto che i rami sono stati incisi nuovamente e pertanto si tratta di incisioni nuove: illustrano fauna, fortificazioni, sbarramenti, sistemi di difesa terrestri e fluviali, muraglie, costruzione di ponti nonchè le due carte geografiche della Gallia e della Spagna. In una lettera al Muretus, Aldo Manuzio scrive: " Faccio anche fare le figure di nuovo, per essere le vecchie troppo vergognose ". A queste incisioni si è anche ispirato il Palladio nell' edizione del 1575 tradotta… Read More

Venice: Giunta (colophon: in officina haeredum Lucaeantonii Iunctae), 1563. Leather. Very Good. Folio (38 cm); [2], 152, 12 leaves. Text in two columns, printed in red and black ink. Printer's device in red on title page (Camerini, I, 143, third variant). About 99 woodcut illustrations in text (some repeated), including full-page crucifixion, repeated seven times, and 10-panel historiated woodcut border to facing page, also repeated seven times. Rotunda, roman, and italic type. Music with notes in black on red staves. Bound in paneled calf, roughly contemporary, ruled in gilt with gilt fleurs-de-lis at corners. Binding worn with signs of old repairs. Text toned on some leaves, but remarkably fresh and free of blemishes overall. References: Mortimer, Italian, 304; Amiet, Repertorium, 2:101; Camerini, 673; RELICS, 2859. In the 1560s, the brothers Tommaso and Giovan Maria Giunta were trying to recover financially from the fire that destroyed their Venice workshop in 1557. Taking few… Read More