Early Printing & Manuscripts

VEGIO, Maffeo. De liberorum educatione aurei libri sex noviter recogniti Francisci Philelphi. poete. Oratoris. philosophique prestantissimi. Succincto cum iudice [recté indice]: et brevibus marginariis annotationibus obscurarum sensa dictionum aperientibus. Nicolai Bonespei trecensis campani cura superadditis.
(Colophon: Paris, "apud Gourmontios" [= the brothers Robert, Gilles and Jean de Gourmont], 1508). Small 4to (19 x 13 cm). With numerous printed so-called Lombardic initials, but also with 2 spaces (with guide letters) left for manuscript initials (not filled in). Set in a roman type with the beginning of the title and one heading in a large rotunda gothic type with decorated capitals. Blind-tooled calf (19th century? in a "Medieval" style). CXXVIII, [6] ll. Full description

VENETUS, Paolo Nicoletti [and Restoro d'AREZZO]. Summa philosophie naturalis ... una cu[m] libro de co[m]positione mundi qui astronomie ianua nuncupari potest ... [at the head of the page:] Primus liber incipit De co[m]positione mu[n]di.
Paris, Jean Lambert (colophon: printed by Thomas Kees, 14 November 1513). Small 4to (28 x 20.5 cm). With 55 woodcut illustrations in the text, including 12 northern and 12 southern pictorial constellations with stars. Flexible wrap-around paperboards (ca. 1750?), sewn on 3 tanned leather supports. [35], [1 blank] pp. Full description

[VERVOORT, Frans]. Dat vyants net, der booser wercken raet, visioenen, ende met alder sijnder verholender stricken, leerende hoe wi de werelt, den vyant, ende ons selven sullen sterven, kennen, ende leerende hoe wi die werelt, den vyant, ende ons selven sullen sterven, kennen, ende overwinnen.
Antwerp, Jan van Ghelen, (colophon: 1561). 8vo. With the title in a four-piece woodcut border by Pieter van den Borcht (with his initials at the foot), Jan van Ghelen's woodcut device on verso of last leaf, a full-page armorial view (dated 1552) on the last leaf, and 20 mostly full-page woodcut illustrations by Pieter van der Borcht in text. Modern half vellum. [88] ll. Full description

[VIEW - NETHERLANDS - AMSTERDAM]. BAST, Pieter. Amstelredam.
[Antwerp], Pieter Bast, 1599. Large engraved panorama on 2 sheets (ca. 27 x 76 cm as assembled). Framed. Full description

VIGERIUS, Marcus. Decachordum Christianum Julio II. Pont. Max. dicatum. Controversia de excellentia instrumentorum Dominicae passionis, per eundem Dn. Marcum Vigerium discussa.
[Hagenau, printed by Th. Anselm & Joh. Albertus for Joh. Koberger, Nuremberg, 1517]. Folio. With title in woodcut border by Urs Graf and 10 beautiful full-page woodcuts (ca. 13.9-14.4 x 9.7-10.2 cm) by the "Master I S with the shovel", a pupil of Hans Schäufelein. Contemporary calf over wooden boards, blind-tooled side, two brass clasps. Leaves from a 14th-century liturgical manuscript pasted on the inner sides of the boards. From the "Koberger Werkstatt". [6], 204, [14] pp. Full description

VIGNOLA, Giacomo Barozzi da. Le due regole della prospettiva pratica. Con i commentarij del Egnatio Danti.
Rome, Francesco Zannetti, 1583. Folio. With a richly engraved architectural title-page by Cherubinus Albertus, 120 woodcut mathematical illustrations and figures in the text explaining perspective, including woodcuts of anamorphoses and 1 full-page woodcut, designed and cut by Danti, 29 engraved plates showing perspective designs, including 8 full-page, by Vignola. Further with a large woodcut printer's device on verso of the last leaf, and some woodcut decorated initials and head pieces. Later gold-tooled half calf and green decorated paper over boards, red and blue sprinkled edges. [1], [1 blank], [10], 145, [5] pp. Full description

VORAGINE, Jacobus de. Legenda sanctorum al[ia]s Lombardica historia. [= Legenda aurea sanctorum].
[Colophon:] Basel, Nikolaus Kessler, 25 June 1486 Small (Chancery) folio (28.5 x 22 cm). With Kesslers 1485 woodcut armorial device below the colophon (double shield hanging from a branch, the dexter shield with 3 kettle hooks and the sinister shield with a K and cross). Blind-tooled tanned sheepskin (ca. 1870/1900), with a hollow back, sewn on 4 recessed cords but with 5 false bands on the spine, gold-tooled black morocco spine-label in the 2nd compartment and "BASEL 1486" in gold at the foot. [255] ll. Full description

VREDEMAN DE VRIES, Jan (Hans), Antonio LABACCO, Giacomo Barozzio da VIGNOLA and others. [Collection of architectural and decoration prints including fortification plans, garden plans and architectural decoration].
Antwerp, Venice, Rome, various publishers, [engraved] 1561-1585, [printed 1580-ca. 1600]. Large folio & small 1mo (38.5 x 27 cm). Collection of 4 separately published prints (3 large full-sheet & 1 small full-sheet), plus 67 prints from 9 series (including 3 double-page prints and a 1½-sheet plan of classical Roman ports printed from 2 copperplates). Contemporary or near contemporary limp sheepskin parchment (ca. 1600?). [77] engraved ll. containing [71] prints. Full description

WIMPFELING, Jakob (Jacobus WIMPHELINGIUS). Ad Julium. II. Po[n]tifice[m] Max[imum]. Querulosa excusatio Jacobi Wimphelingii ad instantiam fratru[m] Augustine[n]sium ad curiam romana[m] citati: ut propria in persona ibide[m] compareat: proptereaq[ue] scripsit divum Augustinum non fuisse monachum vel fratrem mendicante[m].
[Strasbourg, Jean Prüss the elder, ca. 1507]. 4to (21 x 15 cm). With a large woodcut decorated initial. Set in 2 sizes of roman type with a few words in a large textura gothic type. With the initial coloured brown by an early hand. Boards covered with grey laid paper (1940s?). [7], [1 blank] pp. Full description

ZEHENDTNER VOM ZEHENDTGRÜB, Paul. Ordenliche Beschreibung mit was stattlichen Ceremonien und Zierlichheiten, die Röm. Kay. May. unser aller gnedigster Herr, samt etlich andern Ertzhertzogen, Fürsten und Herrn, den Orden dess Guldin Flüss, in disem [15]85. Jahr zu Prag und Landshüt, empfangen und angenommen.
Dillingen, Johann Mayer, 1587. 4to (20 x 15.5 cm). With title printed in red and black, 7 full-page engraved illustrations (showing the collar (chain) of the Order, the Emperor Rudolf II in his robes and 5 coat-of-arms), and 13 large folding engraved plates showing the splendid ceremonies held at Prague and Landshut, probably all drawn by Anthony Boys. Contemporary gold-tooled tanned sheepskin; rebacked with most of the original backstrip laid down. [1], [1 blank], 155, [1], [2 blank] pp. Full description