Forum Rare Books

Influential 2nd Aldine edition of a popular collection of elegiac poems
by 3 of the most important classical poets, finely bound in early 20th-century morocco by G. Vignal in Paris

CATULLUS, Gaius Valerius; Albius TIBULLUS; Sextus PROPERTIUS (Hieronymus AVANTIUS, ed.). [Opera]. Catullus. Tibullus. Propertius.
[colophon:] Venice, the heirs of Aldo I Manuzio & Andrea I Torresano, March 1515. 8vo. With Aldos woodcut anker and dolphin device on the title-page and on the verso of the last leaf, each flanked by "AL ... DVS" in letterpress capitals. Set in Aldos italic type (with upright capitals), the first italic printing type. Blind-tooled brown goatskin morocco (early 20th-century) by the Paris bookbinder G. Vignal (active ca. 1890-ca. 1930), signed with a blind stamp in the foot of the front turn-in ("G. VIGNAL REL. DOR.". 148, [2] ll. Full description

€ 2,950

Aldine Press Classical Antiquity Early Printing - 16th century

Cautionary counsel on love

CAVRETTO, Pietro. Anterotica sive De amoris generibus.
(Colophon: Treviso, Gerardus de Lisa, 13 Oct. 1492). 4to. Modern blind-tooled burgundy morocco,housed in a burgundy cloth slipcase. [VI], XCVII ll. Full description

€ 8,500

Early Printing - 16th century Italy Philosophy & Humanism

First edition of a rare work about the Orient and the crusades

CENTENO, Amaro. Historia de cosas del oriente primera y segunda parte...
Cordoba, Diego Galván, 1595. 2 parts in 1 volume. 4to. With a woodcut coat of arms on the title-page and the divisional title-page for part 2, an elaborate Jesuit woodcut IHS vignette on the verso of the last leaf above the colophon and woodcut initials throughout, with a few typographical or woodcut tail-pieces, al text is set within a simple woodcut frame. Later tree marbled sheepskin. [8], 138, [4] ll. Full description

€ 28,000

Early Printing - 16th century Geography History / 16th Century Military History (16th Century) Religion (16th Century) West Asia

Very rare and beautiful, with wide margins, incunable copy of one of the earliest Dutch editions
of De ludo scachorum printed in 1479 by Geraert Leeu in Gouda

[CESSOLIS, Jacobus de and FRANCO (translator)]. [Drop title a1v:] Boeck dat men hiet dat scaecspel. [Incipit on a2r:] Hier beghint eç suuerlijc boec vanden tijtverdrijf edelre heren ende vrouwen als vande scaecspul ...
(Colophon on i6v:) Gouda, Geraert Leeu, 2 October 1479. Small folio (ca. 26 x 20 cm). The text is set in Gothic type in double columns of 35 lines to a page, with large manuscript initials in red ink at the start of every chapter, rubricated throughout. Further with Geraert Leeu's printer's device and his initials below the colophon on i5v. Modern vellum, sewn on 4 vellum tapes laced through the joints, gold-tooled spine with a burgundy morocco title label lettered in gold. [67], [1 blank] ll. Full description

€ 85,000

Book History, Printing & Typography Dutch Literature Early Printing - 15th century Games & Sports Literature Netherlands

A brief history of medicine, including Mesue, Avicenna, Serapion the Younger and other Arab authors

CHAMPIER, Symphorien. Castigationes seu emendationes pharmacopolarum, sive apothecariorum, ac Arabum medicorum Mesue, Serapionis, Rafis, Alpharabii, & aliorum iuniorum medicorum...
(Colophon: Lyon, Johannes Crespin, 1532). 2 parts in 1 volume (bound in reverse order). 8vo. With armorial woodcut on title-page to the second part (bound as opening title-page), repeated several times in text, and numerous woodcut initials. Contemporary vellum, richly blind-tooled in a panel design. LVI, CXII ll. Full description

€ 12,500

Early Printing - 16th century Iran / Persia Islamic Art, Culture & Science Medicine & Pharmacy (16th Century)

Correspondence of Emperor Charles V with King Francis I and Pope Clement VII
during the Italian Wars, from the library of Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun

[CHARLES V]. Pro invictiss[imo] Caesare Carolo ... ad epistolam Franci Regis ad Principes Imperii transmissam, necnon ad apologiam Madriciae conventionis dissuasoriam, responsio, ac erudita admodum refutatio. Cum aliis nonnullis ... (&c.).
Antwerp, Joannes Grapheus, 19 August 1527. 2 works in 1 volume. Small 8vo. With a woodcut printer's device on the final page of ad 1, and 2 decorated woodcut initials in ad 2. With (bound before ad 1): [CLEMENT VII, Pope]. Epistolae duae, Altera Clementis VII Papae ad Karolum V Imperatorem Aug. etc. Altera Karoli V, Imp. Aug. etc. Clementi respondentis.
Cologne, [Petrus Quentell?], March 1527.17th-century vellum. [88]; [48] ll. Full description

€ 3,950

Catholicism & Eastern Orthodox Church Early Printing - 16th century France History / 16th Century Italy Law & Politics Military History (16th Century) Religion (16th Century) Spain

Rare early edition of a classic and profusely illustrated work on Roman military practice
and establishment of encampments, and Roman baths

CHOUL, Guillaume du. Discorso ... Sopra la castrametatione & bagni antiche i Greci & Romani. Nivamente revisto & ricorretto dallistesso Auttore. Con laggiunta della figura del campo Romano.
[Padua], Marc Antonio Olmo, 1558. 8vo. The word "Discorso" printed in woodcut border at the top of the title-page, with woodcut printers device: an elm with the words: "Ulmus amica viti" (the elm is friendly for vines). With 43 full-page woodcuts (ca. 11 x 7.5 cm), a large folding woodcut plate in two leaves (as issued, in total ca. 40.5 x 36 cm) of a plan of a Roman camp: "Figura del Campo de Romani", and 2 large historiated woodcut initials of 10 lines and 3 capital spaces with guide letters for initials of 5 lines. Modern vellum. 80, [4] ll. Full description

€ 1,250

Classical Antiquity Early Printing - 16th century Fortification & Military Architecture History / 16th Century

Rare edition of Chrysostom's letters and shorter works, compiled and edited by Erasmus

CHRYSOSTOM, John and Desiderius ERASMUS (editor). Aliquot opuscula ... Graeca, lectu dignissima, cu[m] praefatione Erasmi Roterodami, cuius studio sunt aedita.
(Colophon:) Basel, Froben Office, 1529. 4to. With Froben's printer's device on the title page and last leaf, and 10 decorated woodcut initials. 17th-century blind-tooled vellum [8], 95, [1] pp. Full description

€ 2,750

Church History & Missions Early Printing - 16th century Erasmus Humanism & Reformation Philosophy & Humanism Religion (16th Century)

Rare 1542 edition of one of the most important works of Saint John Chrysostomom

CHRYSOSTOM, John. In sanctum Jesu Christi evangelium secundum Matthaeum commentarii, diligenter ab Arrianorum faecibus purgati, & in lucem in sacrae paginae tyronum gratiam modo recens sub minoriforma aediti.
Antwerp, Joannes Steelsius, 1542.
With: CHRYSOSTOM, John. Passio Domini Nostri Iesu Christi secundum Matthaeum in decem Homilias divisa.
Antwerp, Joannes Steelsius, 1542.
2 works in 1 volume. 8vo. Ad 1: with two woodcut initials at the beginning of the introduction and the prologue, of 2 different series, and a large woodcut printer's device on the last page, showing a staff, surrounded by doves and the text 'steelsius', stuck in a plaquette that says 'concordia, res parue crescunt'. Ad 2: with a woodcut initial on the first leaf. Contemporary Flemish blind-tooled, panel-stamped calf, with a tripartite panel on both sides and remnants of ties. [8],"313" [=314], [1]; 47, [1] ll. Full description

€ 9,500

Antwerp Bibles, Liturgy & Devotional Works Bindings Catholicism & Eastern Orthodox Church Early Printing - 16th century Religion (16th Century)

Extremely rare Dutch translation of a devotional work by the Church father Johannes Chrysostomus
in an attractive contemporary Antwerp panel binding

CHRYSOSTOMUS, Johannes (Antonius VAN HEMERT, translator). Van die beweechnisse des herten, tot berouwe der sonde[n]. ...
(Colophon:) Antwerp, Symon Cock, 18 August 1546. 8vo. With the title-page in red and black in a framework of thin rules, 6 woodcut decorated initials and 2 vine-leaf ornaments. Set in 3 sizes of textura gothic types. A very interesting Antwerp binding of contemporary panel-stamped calf, each board with the same panel, showing 2 medallion portraits in, the whole surrounded by a floral decorative border, interesting fastenings with cord loops that fasten to bone buttons on leather straps. [131], [1 blank] ll. Full description