Priapeia

SOLD AT SOTHEBY'S IN 1899
first edition, second issue 4to. xxviii, 187, [1]pp., title page printed in red and black, numerous decorative initial letters, frontispiece plate, original cream paper backed pale grey boards, paper spine very expertly renewed with paper closely matching the original, original printed white paper title label relaid on spine, edges untrimmed, some light finger marks on fore-margin of front board, else a nice copy.
Penzer Burton Bibliography, p.150-153. The first issue was withdrawn and this second issue, with a corrected four pages xi-xiv, was issued in a similar binding with the spine title printed on a white paper label lettered 'Priapeia/ 1890'. The second copy recorded by Penzer in his 'Prices' section was one that made 20 shillings (1 pound) in a sale-room in Dec. 1899. This is that copy.
"The Priapeia is a collection of .. ninety five anonymous short Latin poems in various meters on subjects pertaining to the phallic god Priapus. They are believed to date from the 1st century AD or the beginning of the 2nd century. A traditional theory about their origin is that they are an anthology of poems written by various authors on the same subject. However, it has recently been argued that the .. poems are in fact the work of a single author, presenting a kind of biography of Priapus from his vigorous youth to his impotence in old age. ... In 1890, the Priapeia were translated into English by Leonard Smithers and Sir Richard Burton .. who provided numerous glosses concerning the sexual practices and proclivities that are referenced in the poems" [wikipedia]. The initials "S.C.L." in pen following the limitation number are those (reversed to disguise them) of Leonard Charles Smithers, who collaborated with Burton on this work and was identified on the title-page as "Neaniskos".