XVIth Century Books

Colophon on G2r: [Venice: In Aedibus Aldi, Et Andreae Soceri, October 1518]., 1518. 8vo. ff. 233, [3]. complete with the 2 blanks, B8 & G3. Aldine woodcut device on title & verso of last leaf. 19th century paneled calf. armorial bookplate of Henry Richard Vassall Fox, Third Baron Holland [1773-1840]. First Aldine Edition of this collection of ancient geographical texts. Mela’s was "the first extant geographical work in Latin and the only Roman treatise of the classical period devoted exclusively to that subject." (DSB) His descriptive survey of the habitable world (Europe, Africa, and Asia) includes remarks on manners and customs, details on spectacular phenomena, and speculation on the causes of tides. "Despite his general inferiority as a geographer, Pomponius knew more than Strabo about the positions of Britain, Ireland, and the coasts of Gaul and north Germany; he was also the first to mention the Orkney Islands. Pomponius exerted a considerable influence on early… 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

BASILEAE: APUD NIC. EPISCOPIUM IUN., 1558. In 16. Dim. 17x12 cm. Pp. 32 (n.n.)+350+2 (n.n.). Rara edizione del 1558 di quest'opera scritta da Cristophe Longueil (1488-1522) umanista francescano. Nel 1517 Longueil strinse amicizia con Pietro Bembo e Jacopo Sadoleto ma questo non impedì che nei suoi confronti si scatenasse una forte campagna diffamatoria tanto che fu costretto a trafserirsi a Padova dove si spense. Ammiratore incondizionato di Cicerone, fu un grande propagandista del ciceronismo prima in Francia, poi a Roma. Questo suo epistolario non è una mera imitazione della produzione ciceroniana, ma denota una ricerca stilistica ed un'eleganza espositiva di rara freschezza e vivacità. Nella prima parte la sua vita, poi l'epistolario. Numerose note manoscritte all'interno. Marca editoriale all'ultima carta. Titolo manoscritto al taglio inferiore. Opera collazionata e risultata completa. Legatura in pergamena. Non comune. Copertina in piena pergamena con… Read More

Paris (Parisiis), Apud Arnoldum Sittart, 1584. 8vo (XXVIII),CCCIX,(1 blank),(22 index),(2 blank); LXXV,(1 blank),(10),CCXVI,(24 index),84 p. Limp vellum 17 cm (Ref: Smitskamp 61; Schweiger 2,355 & 1134; Brunet 5,2 1148; Renouard-1926, n° 1044 (Renouard et alii, 'Imprimeurs et libraires parisiens du XVIe siècle', Paris, 1964)) (Details: 5 thongs laced through the joints. Engraved printer's mark of Arnoldus Sittart on the title, his motto: 'Finis coronat opus', 'the end crowns the work'. (BaTyR : Base de Typographie de la Renaissance, no. 28409) The printer's mark shows the coat of arms of Cologne, the city where Arnoldus Sittart was born: the escutcheon bears 3 crowns and beneath them are twelve drops; the escutcheon is supported by a standing crowned griffin and idem lion; above the shield a helmet with peacock feathers as crest. (See for an explanation Wikipedia 'Kölner Wappen') (Condition: The vellum is probably recycled from another… Read More

Ad 1: (Genève), Apud Petrum Santandreanum, 1593. Ad 2: Lyon (Lugduni), Apud Joan. Tornaesium & Gul. Gazeium, 1551. 8vo. 2 volumes in 1: Ad 1: (XVI),CCCIX,(1 blank),(23 index),(1); LXXV,(1 blank),(10),CCXVI,(22 = index),(4),84 (recte 80) p. Ad 2: (XXIV),171,(1) p. H.leather. 17 cm (Ref: Ad 1: GLN-3651; Schweiger II,1135; Bernays, see p. 258/59 & 279; Ad 2: A. Cartier, Bibliographie des éditions des Tournes, no. 185; Schweiger I,18) (Details: 2 Back with 5 raised bands, and a black shield; Ad 1: 'Veritas' printer's device on the title: a woman, the naked truth, seated on a cubus, holding a radiant sun in her right hand. In her left hand she holds an opened book and a palm leaf. Her feet rest on the globe; the garland of fruit which surrounds her shows a ribbon with a motto in Greek: 'Alêtheia Pandamatôr', i.e. 'Allmighty Truth'. Ad 2: completely printed in italics; engraved printer's mark on title, a 'Ouroboros', with motto:… Read More

Basel (Basileae), Per Ioannem Oporinum, (1562) (Colophon at the end: 'Basileae, Ex officina Ioannis Oporini, Anno salutis humanae 1562, mense Martio') Folio. p. 1-667; col. 668-679, (1 p.), col. 680-845; (23 index) p. Contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards. 34 cm This Euripides edition is the first to offer a Greek text accompanied by a (complete) translation into Latin. Autograph dedication by the editor on the title. (Ref: VD16 E 4217; Griechischer Geist aus Basler Pressen no. 200; Hoffmann 2,69; Schweiger 1,115; Dibdin 1,528; Moss 1,416; Brunet 2,1096; Ebert 7077; Graesse 2,519; USTC no. 654877) (Details: Signed binding, produced between 1562 and 1570 by Hans Rietzsch, and probably commissioned by Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, Friedrich von Wirsberg, or his chancellor Balthasar ab Hellu. (See below for the binder and his client) Back with 4 raised bands. Boards decorated with 3 rows of blind-stamped rolls, the first one with floral motives, the second and third comprising… Read More

Leiden (Lugduni Batavorum), Ex officina Ludovici Elzevirii. 1599. 8vo. (XVI),350,(18 index) p. Calf (19th century) 16 cm (Ref: STCN ppn 15153098; Willems 39; Rahir 25; Berghman 835; Hoffmann 2,569; cf. Smitskamp, The Scaliger collection, no.93 for the first edition of 1597; Brunet 3,1247-1248; Ebert 12543; Graesse 4,309) (Details: Back elaborately gilt with four ornamental lozenges. Brown shield in the second 'campartment'. Boards with a triple gilt fillet border, and gilt edges. Edges of the book block sprinkled. Marbled endpapers. The colophon on the last page reads: 'Lugduni Batavorum. Excudebat Ioannes Balduini. VIII. Kal. Maias. anno 1599') (Condition: Nice copy, some slight wear to the extremities, just a bit of rubbing to the joints. Some small, old ink marginalia. Last gathering slightly browning, otherwise a clean and fresh copy) (Note: Lycophron, 3rd cent. BC, was called to Alexandria in Egypt by King Ptolemaeus Philadelphos. There this tragedian wrote his… Read More

Basel (Basileae), Apud Andream Cratandrum, 1526. Cum privilegio Caesareo. (Colophon at the end: 'Basileae, per Andream Cratandrum, Mense Ianuario, anno 1526') 8vo. (VIII),371,(41 index, errata, colophon) p. 20th century overlapping vellum 14.5 cm (Ref: VD16 T 2050; Schweiger 2,487; Graesse 3,512; Ebert 11134) (Details: Printed completely in italic letters. Woodcut printer's mark on the last page, it depicts an almost naked Fortuna with winged feet standing on a globe, which is divided in four parts; in her right hand she hold a opened razor blade, with her left hand she makes a gesture as if she wants to grab something; the back of her head is shaven bald, and the long lock in front is blown to the right; Fortuna stand in an architectural alcove. There is no motto. This variant of Cratander's printer's mark is not mentioned by A. Wolkenhauer, 'Zu schwer für Apoll, die Antike in humanistischen Druckerzeichen des 16. Jahrhunderts', Wiesbaden, 2002) (Condition: Title… Read More

N.pl. (Cologne), Eucharius Cervicornus excudebat, 1527. 495,(1 woodcut),32 (index) p. 20th century calf 16 cm (Ref: VD16 H 4663; Hoffmann 2,334; Not in Brunet, Graesse, Ebert & Moss) (Details: Very tasteful new binding in antique 16th century style, with 4 raised bands on the back, and a red shield in the second compartment. Title with woodcut borders, depicting in the lower part the adoration of Christ by the three Magi; the text of the title is flanked by 2 pillars; on the upper part two winged putti that flank a coat of arms; on the shield of it a kind of thornbush (thorns - antlers?); above the shield are the three crowns of the arms of the city Cologne. The woodcut at the end of the Ilias depicts Saint George killing the dragon) (Condition: The title is slightly soiled and its right margin and that of the last leaf are thumbed. A tiny and almost invisible hole in the title) (Note: 'Despite the faltering knowledge of Greek in the early Middle Ages, stories of the battle of Troy and the… Read More

Hardcover, 1554 Paris edition. Condition is very good. 19th century full leather binding, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Paginates by leaves (1 leaf=2 pages): 127, plus 1 leaf index. 2 blanks front and back look like they are from the old rebind. Title page and last page of index are pages with the most wear: title page has old ownership stamp, and a few stains. All other pages are near fine or fine. Paper is excellent quality: supple, lightly toned, not fragile. Binding is sound. Front blank endpaper has two inscriptions in Spanish. One is dated April 23, 1880. The other is earlier and signed by Alfredo Chavero (same as ownership stamp). No other writing or markings. A small book approximately 4.5 x 3.25 inches. Please see scans of the book you will receive. Feel free to inquire. Notes: I think first edition of this collection is 1530 (see OCLC: 925369798). And just so you know: the English translation of the title is my own and could be completely wrong.

179 pages. Rebound in full vellum; binding tight, all pages clean, no tears, no repairs, some pencil marks. Very slight foxing here and there and delicate age-tinting. Five raised bands, title stamped in gold on red leather label.Scholar, poet, musician, literary figure and Cardinal Pietro Bembo's (1470-1547) vernacular translation of his famous history of Venice (originally in Latin).

Due parti in un volume in-8°, cc. 71, [1]. Bell'esemplare, con legatura coeva in pergamena. L'opera del Lando è legata con Symeoni, Comentario alla Tetrarchia di Vinegia, 1548.
Provenienza: al frontespizio, antiche annotazioni manoscritte e nota di possesso; Collezione Maria Paola Moroni Salvatori.
Rarissima terza edizione (la princeps, priva di dati tipografici: Venezia 1548). Paleari Hensselr, 414. B.IN.G., 1080.
Il Commentario del Lando - tra i più geniali poligrafi rinascimentali, traduttore in italiano dell'Utopia di Tommaso Moro (1548) - è inoltre assai celebre in quanto alcune sue pagine "illustrano un ideale itinerario gastronomico per le città d'Italia, con riferimento a cibi e vini di cui l'autore mostra di aver acquisito conoscenze di prima mano" (L'arte della cucina in Italia, a cura di E. Faccioli, Torino 1992, p. 275).
"Questo testo costituisce un catalogo etnico-socio-gastronomico estremamente eterogeneo, inserito in un itinerario quasi iniziatico che si snoda attraverso la… Read More

4° (mm 200x135); cc. (8), segnate A-B4. Al frontespizio, silografia dell'Angelo al di sopra di un'altra silografia scenico-narrativa (mm 90x115); alla carta B1r, silografia a tre quarti di pagina (mm 73x102); al verso dell'ultima carta, la medesima silografia del frontespizio. Elegante legatura tardo-ottocentesca - verosimilmente inglese - in marocchino marrone con filettatura in oro ai piatti e titolo in oro lungo il dorso. Bell'esemplare.
Provenienza: Fairfax-Murray ? (cfr. Sander, 6220 [nota]); Libreria Il Polifilo, Milano (Cat. XIII [1947], n. 69).
Rarissima edizione fiorentina, splendidamente illustrata da tre silografie scenico-narrative. Cioni, 175-76; De Batines, 35-36; Sander, 6220 [nota]; Kristeller, 185.
Quella del frontespizio, reimpressa al verso dell'ultima carta, riprende il legno della prima edizione [Firenze, fine del sec. XV- inizi del sec. XVI, cfr. Sander, 6215, tav. 646, De Marinis, 166, tav. CXCVIII). Il secondo legno, che rappresenta un giovane uomo inginocchiato davanti a un… Read More

Lyons: Bartholomeus Vincentius, 1572. Hardcover. Very Good. Emblematic publisher's device on titlepage VINCENTI + a few foliated capitals + printer's device on colophon, Joannes Marcorellius.. Octavo (175x115mm) fine stamped vellum, central portrait with text, floral borders and inked-in initials ARW + date 1592, central coat of arms on rear board, spine on 6 cords, clasps missing with marginal tear showing old MS on underlying vellum, [32],601,[7]pp (collated complete a-b A-2P). Worming without loss of text in margin of front board and on 1st few pages. Old library stamp with MS nr on front pastedown, stamp "Bibl. Gymn. Goth" on TP verso, very neat early Latin marginal notes on about 150pp, else clean & crisp throughout. This book supposedly gave Nevizzano a reputation as a misogynist. *Rare early medical text book on marital sex and related Canon & Roman Law, only 5 copies noted in British libraries.

Paris, Germain Hardouyn, 1518.
8vo [171 x 110 mm] printed on vellum skin of (84) ll. in 11 quires signed A-K by 8 and L by 4. Roman characters, 31 lines. The mark of the Hardouins is printed on l. A1.
17 large figures including the anatomical Man. 21 small illuminated vignettes, 4 illuminated borders. Complete.
Full brown velvet from the 18th century, signs of wear.
Precious Book of Hours printed on vellum skin decorated with 17 full-page engravings illuminated with gold at the time, with 21 small vignettes equally illuminated and with numerous gilt initials on a blue or red background.
The calendar is dated 1518.
Lacombe 290 ; Van Praet Catalogue, p. 112, n°135 ; Brunet, Heures, n°251.
The iconography is composed, besides the printer's mark and the anatomical man, of 16 large full-page figures all colored with shimmering colours and inserted inside gilt framings.
The 16 engravings represent:


- St John the Evangelist.
- Arrest of Jesus.
- Adam and Eve.
- Annunciation.
- Visitation.
- Nativity.
-… Read More