Forum Rare Books

Where Greek philosophy meets Christian doctrine: the second edition of Theodoret’s Graecarum affectionum curatio

THEODORET of CYRRHUS, and Zenobio ACCIAIUOLI (translator). De evangelicae veritatis ex Graecorum atque gentium philosophia cognitione, sive de Graecarum affectionum curatione, libri duodecim Zenobio Acciaolo interprete ...
Antwerp, (colophon: Joannes Grapheus for) Joannes Steelsius, 1540. 8vo. With some woodcut decorated initials throughout, and Steelsius's woodut device at the end. 18th-century red morocco. 8, 158, [6] ll. Full description

€ 2,950

Early Printing - 16th century Greek & Roman Classics Philosophy & Humanism Religion (16th Century)

First edition of an important and one of the earliest works on colour, formerly attributed to Aristotle

[THEOPHRASTUS? (pseudo ARISTOTLE)] and Simone PORZIO. De coloribus libellus, à Simone Portio Neapolitano latinate donatus, & cometariis illustratus: una cum euisdem praefatione, qua coloris naturam declarat.
Florence, Lorenzo Torrentino, 1548. 4to. With 2 large woodcut historiated initials. Contemporary limp sheepskin parchment, manuscript spine-title, with 4 fragments of a Latin manuscript in an upright humanistic hand on vellum used as spine lining. 197, [3] pp. Full description

€ 12,500

Classical Antiquity Early Printing - 16th century Greek & Roman Classics Physics & Chemistry Science

First complete edition of the first major Latin publication devoted to falconry: lessons in choosing,
training and caring for hunting birds in about 2780 lines of verse

THOU (THUANUS), Jacques-Auguste de. Hieracosophioy, sive de re accipitraria libri tres.
Paris, Mamert Patisson, Kings Printer "in officina Robert Estienne", 1584. Small 4to (22 x 15 cm). With the late Robert I Estienne's large woodcut device on the title-page. With the poem and Thou's 11-page verse letter to Philippe Huralt in italic type and the preliminaries and some end matter in roman. Half parchment (ca. 1892). [4], 95, [13] pp. Full description

€ 8,000

Birds - Ornithology Falconry, Fishing & Hunting Literature

Rare 1527 edition of classical dictionary, owned by the neo-Latin poet Renier Tengnagel (d. 1565)

TORRENTINUS, Hermannus (Herman van der BEKE). Elucidarius poeticus co[n]tinens historias poeticas, fabulas, insulas regiones, urbes, fluvios, mo[n]tesq[ue] insigniores, atq[ue] huiusmodi alia, ...
Antwerp, Michiel Hillen van Hoogstraten, 1527. With the title in an elaborate woodcut border.
With: (2) [FIOCCHI, Andrea Dominico (Andras Dominicus FLOCCUS)] under the name of Lucius FENESTELLA. De magistratibus, sacerdotiisq[ue] Romanorum libellus, iamprimum nitori restitutus.
[Cologne, Hero Fuchs, 1527]. With the title in a finely cut 4-piece woodcut border. 2 editions in 1 volume. 8vo. 16th-century(?) limp vellum (formerly used for a slightly thinner book). The binding is an interesting example of a spine reinforced with a horizontal metal rod at the central sewing support to give more support and prevent the bookblock from becoming concaved or developing sharp kinks; probably bound in Flanders. [88]; [88] ll. Full description

€ 9,500

Aldine Press Bindings Church History & Missions Classical Antiquity Dictionaries & Encyclopedias Early Printing - 16th century Greek & Roman Classics Religion (16th Century)

1532 Krakow humanist medallion binding

TOSTATUS (TOSTADO DE MADRIGAL), Alfonso. Super Leviticum in sensu litterali nova et hactenus abscondita a se edita commentaria.
(Colophon: Venice, Petrus Liechtenstein, 1529). With title-page printed in red and black with a large woodcut containing the coats of arms of the Emperor Charles V (Charles I of Spain) and two bishops (the author and perhaps a relative), leaf 2 with a woodcut of the author writing at his desk, with his arms, and a woodcut initial with the other bishop's arms inside the letter, the arms in the initial and some lines of text printed in red. Printed in two columns.
With: (2) TOSTATUS, Alfonso. Opus super Deuteronomium.
(Colophon: Venice, Petrus Liechtenstein, 1528). With title-page printed in red and black, leaf 1 with a woodcut of the author writing at his desk, with his arms (not the same woodcut as in ad 1), and a woodcut initial with the other bishop's arms as in ad 1. Printed in two columns. 2 works in 1 volume. Folio. Contemporary blind- and gold-tooled tanned sheepskin over wooden boards; each board in a panel design with 2 (on the back board 3) different vine rolls, rules, and on the front board a central medaillon depicting Bathsheba kneeling before King David playing his harp, and a half dozen separate stamps, with author and title at the head, "Thostati Super Leviti et Deuteronomy" and the binding date MDXXXII (1532); blind-tooled spine, remnants of brass anchor plates on the back board (for straps?), catch plates on the front board lacking. 249, [1 blank]; [1], 120 ll. Full description

€ 35,000

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

Commentaries and scholia on Demostheness orations, & Harpocrations dictionary:
second edition, in the original Greek, by Aldus's successors, based on his own first edition

ULPIANUS of Emesa and Valerius HARPOCRATION. Commentarioli in olynthiacas, philippicasque Demosthenis orationes. Enarrationes saneque necessariae in tredecim orationes Demosthenis. ...Dictionarium decem Rhetorum. [preceded by the titles in Greek].
(Colophon: Venice, heirs of Aldus Manutius, and his father-in-law Andrea Torresano dAsola [& sons], June) 1527. Folio (31 x 21 cm). With Aldus's famous woodcut dolphin device on the title-page and an older but very similar version on the verso of the otherwise blank last leaf. Set in Greek type (the Upianus in 1 column; the Harpokation in 2 columns) with incidental roman. Recased in 18th-century vellum over flexible boards. 119, [1] ll. Full description

€ 12,000

Aldine Press Classical Antiquity Early Printing - 16th century Greek & Non-Western Types Greek & Roman Classics

Memorable deeds and sayings of Imperial Rome

VALERIUS MAXIMUS. Dictorum factorumq[ue] memorabilium exempla. adjecto indice propriorum nominum rerumq[ue] memoria dignarum locupletissimo
Antwerp, Joannes Grapheus for Joannes Steelsius, 1535. 8vo (14.6 x 9.1 cm). With a woodcut title frame, and a woodcut illustration incorporating Steelsius' device at the end. Old half vellum. 237, [11] ll. Full description

€ 950

Classical Antiquity Early Printing - 16th century Greek & Roman Classics Philosophy & Humanism

First edition of a classic book of international costume figures with 420 woodcuts,
in splendid gold-tooled morocco (ca. 1865) by Hardy-Mennil with the arms of the Prince dEssling

VECELLIO, Cesare. De gli habiti antichi, et moderni di diverse parti del mondo, libri due, ..., & con discorsi da lui dichiarati.
Venice, Damiano Zenaro, 1590. 8vo (19 x 12 x 4.5 cm). With an elaborately decorated woodcut scrollwork border on the title page (incorporating 4 costume figures for the 4 continents, Zenaros salamander device and the coat of arms of the dedicatee, Count Pietro Montalbano), a divisional title with a 4-piece woodcut border, an emblematic woodcut medallion, 5 full-page woodcut views of Venice, 413 full-page woodcut costume figures from around the world (each in a 4-piece woodcut border), ca. 35 woodcut decorated initials plus hundreds of repeats (3 series, the main one covering nearly the complete alphabet with a few letters in more than one version). 19th-century gold-tooled red morocco (Paris, ca. 1865), signed in the front turn-in "HARDY-MENNIL", each board with the crowned and supported arms of the Prince dEssling above crossed branches (oak and palm) in the centre and a stylised flower (thistle? Queen Annes lace?), the monogram "AM" (for André Masséna, Prince dEssling). [24], 499, [1 blank] ll. Full description

€ 15,000

Alba Amicorum Bindings Costumes, Fashion & Uniforms Early Printing - 16th century Turkey & Ottoman Empire

Printed in the Alsace for Koberger in Nuremberg with 10 magnificent woodcuts

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

€ 12,500

Catholicism & Eastern Orthodox Church Early Printing - 16th century Religion (16th Century)

71 excellent large prints (1561-ca. 1600) on architecture and decoration

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