ORIGEN. Quae hoc in libro continentur... Venice: Aldo Manuzio, 1503. 

The first Aldine edition of Origen's commentaries on various books of the Bible, including Genesis, Exodus, and Leviticus, among others. Origen, a native of the Egyptian city of Alexandria, is considered the father of Biblical exegesis and his influence on later biblical interpretation can hardly be overestimated. Nevertheless, certain doctrines which he espoused were later deemed suspect, and theologians approached his work with a certain ambivalence. Many of his works were later destroyed, but the commentary published here managed to be preserved in manuscript, and Aldus must have certainly appreciated Origen's contribution to Chrisitan scholarship by editing and printing this impressive folio. The edition is also of great importance from a bibliographical standpoint as it is the first time that Aldus's large, bordered printer's device of dolphin and anchor appears in one of his books. The book is also the first time that Aldus' financial partnership with his father-in-law, Andreas Torresanus, is alluded to (in the anonymous preface). Folio (28.7 x 19.5cm), [6], 182 leaves. Leaf 85 is in facsimile. Title-page and first ten leaves have marginal repairs with occasional slight infringement to a few letters. Some occasional staining and worming. Bound in later quarter calf over boards. [CNCE 55859. Renouard, 44.11. Adams O-29. Ahmanson-Murphy 72.]

$5,000.00

ARISTOTLE [COMMENTARY BY JACQUES LEFEVRE D'ETAPLES (c. 1455- 1536)]. Decem libri ethicorum Aristotelis ad Nicomachum, ex traductione Ioannis Argyropili Byzantii : communi familiariq; Iacobi Fabri Stapulensis commentario elucidati, & singulorum capitum argumentis praenotati. Adiectus Leonardi Aretini de moribus Dialogus.. Paris: Vaenales habentur in officina Simonis Colinaei chalcographi, e regione scholae Decretorum, 1522. 

A gem of a book, published by Simon de Colines in 1522 and bound, most likely, in Milan between 1522-1525, while the French were occupying the city. The binding has characteristics shared by the  Morgan Library copy 19117, and was perhaps bound by the same binder or his heirs. Note, for example, the arabesque lozenge which is blind stamped twice horizontally on the Morgan copy and compare with the lozenge gilt tooled twice vertically on this copy - the design is almost exactly the same, although the Morgan copy's stamp is slightly larger. Also, the double blind tooling of the fillets, and the quality of the leather seems to suggest an identical binder, or at least a close association with the Morgan's Jean Grolier copy. The only other arabesque lozenge design that I have found that is similar to the one in the copy offered here is 'Ad invictissimum' by Fausto Andrelini (1507) (Paris, BN, lat. 8393) of the Fontainebleau Library, which has the same lozenge design stamped vertically five times in a line, but these lozenges are of a slightly different ratio in terms of wide and height, and the binder may have either imported the tools from the Milanese workshop or was inspired by the Milanese design. In any case, the Fontainebleau copy was bound in Paris by or under the direction of Simon Vostre. A date of 1522-1525 for our copy's binding also posits that the book was bound for a Frenchman stationed in Milan at the time of the occupation - his choice of reading material, a Parisian copy of an Aristotelian commentary by a famous French humanist, supports this theory, as does the gilt stamping of rather elaborate fleur-de-lys on the covers of the binding. The binding itself is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship, and rather unusual in that it includes a double box on the covers, each tooled in gilt with the arabesque lozenge and fleur-de-lys. The inner fillet is blind tooled in a lovely vine pattern, and the four corners of the covers are embellished with gilt rosettes. The binding still includes the original cloth ties. There is minimal wear to the binding; a few light signs of chaffing to the spine ends. The spine includes four compartments, blind tooled with X shaped crosses. The text the owner chose to adorn with such a fine binding is one of the early, and masterful printing jobs, of the famous Parisian publisher, Simon de Colines, one-time disciple to the great Henri Estienne, and guardian of Estienne's children. After working in Estienne's shop for a number of years, Colines struck out on his own in 1520, making this imprint one of his earliest accomplishments. His rightly praised skill of font and page layout is already present in this edition, as is seen by the beautiful elegance of the type, and the way that he handles the text and the commentary. The subject chosen - Jacques d'Etaples' commentary on Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics - could not be more apropos the revival of humanistic learning occurring throughout Europe - especially in France and Italy. The commentary first appeared several years before, in 1514, in an edition by Henri Estienne, but Estienne's edition left something to be desired aesthetically. Colines' entirely new edition makes the text both practical and beautiful, and the size is such that it could have easily been carried about. This 1522 Colines edition is quite rare - I could only locate a handful of copies worldwide. 8vo (17 x 11.5cm), 350pp. Last page is the colophon. A few instances of antique marginalia, title-page a bit toned, a very fresh interior. 

GEMMA REINERUS, FRISIUS (1508-1555) [BOUND WITH: FINE, ORONCE (1494-1555)]. Arithmeticae practicae methodus facilis... [BOUND WITH: Arithmetica practica, in compendiu[m]]. Paris: Cavellat, 1551. Early edition of the most popular arithmetic book of the 16th century, authored by Louvain professor Gemma Frisius. The text "combined the older science of numbers with the commercial arithmetic of the Italian writers" (Smith). The first edition was published in Antwerp in 1540. Diagrams, equations, and tables in text. 96 ll. Bound with an incomplete copy of 'Arithmetica practica' (Paris: Simon de Colines, 1544) by Oronce Fine. This work was previously published as a part of the author's Protomathesis (Paris: 1532). The text includes in its entirely the first three books of Fine's work and part of the fourth book. The subjects covered in each book are, respectively: integrals, common fractions, astronomical fractions, and proportions. 82 of 95 leaves. 8vo (17 x 11cm). Bound in later gilt stamped calf, a few stains to covers, joints rubbed, a bit cocked. Fine antique writing on endpaper, interior is very clean and fresh.

$1,000.00

DAMHOUDER, JOSSE DE (1507-1581). Praxis rerum criminalium, praetoribus, propraetoribus, consulibus... Antwerp: Ioannem Bellerum, 1570. Important 16th century handbook on criminal law, replete with 73 large engraved wood-cuts depicting various kinds of crime such as murder, rape, theft, kidnapping, witchcraft, swindling, etc. as well as various tortures and punishments.  "A work of inestimable value for the history of criminal justice and social status in the Netherlands during the 16th century." 4to (23 x 17cm), [32], 508 (i.e. 512), [64]pp. Staining to upper corners of about half of leaves. Bound in contemporary vellum. [Adams D-16. Dekkers 44:4.]

$3,500.00

MANFREDIS, HIERONYMUS DE (d.c. 1493). De medicis et infirmis collectanae in ordinem centiloquii congesta. Insuper in vigintiocto mansiones Lunae, deq(ue) impedimentis eiusdem generalibus, Ioannis Schoneri. Nurnberg: Georgii Vuachter, 1530. First edition of this collection of medical aphorisms by Jeronimo de Manfredi (died 1493), the author of the "De Homine" which was first published in 1474. These aphorisms on medical practice, here edited for the first time by the great astronomer and cosmographer Johann Schöner, seem to have been chosen by him for their astrological interest, and Schoner has added a few pages of his own observations on the moon. Thorndike adds that though Schoner lacked a medical degree, he was busy at this time publishing medical works for the German public that were highly influenced by astrological based medicine. 8vo (15 x 10.5cm), 23 leaves + blank. Title-page shaved at edge with slight loss of wood-cut border, some instances of staining throughout. Bound in modern boards. Rare. [VD 16, M 565; Zinner 4010; Durling 2924; Wellcome I, 4010; Hirsch-H. IV, 55; Waller 6211; not in Adams.]

$1,000.00

HESIOD (active circa 700 B.C.) Opera et dies, et Theogonia, et Clypeus. Sibyllæ Carmina de Christo quorum mentionem facit Eusebius & Augustinus. Musæi opusculum de Herone & Leandro. Orphei Argonautica, Hymni & de lapidibus. Phocylidis Parænesis. Venice: Ex officina Farrea, 1543. The poem Works and Days by the first Greek poet, Hesiod, in the original Greek and printed by the House of Farreus. This edition follows the Giunta edition of 1540 and uses the Greek type of Bartolomeo Zanetti. This collection also includes the Theogony of Hesiod as well as a selection from other minor Greek poets. Small 8vo (16 x 11cm), [288] p. Printer's device on title-page and colophon. Bound in contemporary vellum, a few small chips to spine, light contemporary ink inscription to rear cover and front endpaper. A nice, clean interior. [Brunet III, 140]

$1,250.00

GIUSTINIANI, AGOSTINO (1470-1536). Castigatissimi annali con la loro copiosa tavola della Eccelsa & Illustrissima Republi. di Genoa, da fideli & approvati Scrittori, per Reverendo Monsignore Agostino Giustiniano.. Genoa: Per Antonio Bellono Taurinense, 1537. A rare and famous work on the Italian Republic and maritime city-state of the Genoa, birthplace of Christopher Columbus. "The only edition listed in Graesse, Brunet, and Sabin. Folio 249 is devoted to a biography of Columbus, in which he states, among other things 'Christophoro di proprio nome chiamato su di parenti plebei, come che il padre fussi testore di pane di lana & lui fussi textore di veta, etc.' These facts about the humble origin and youth of Columbus were not liked by the brand-new aristocrat, the son of Columbus, who in his book on the life of his father emphatically contradicts 'the twelve lies' of Giustiniano. Ferdinand Columbus tells us also 'that, considering the many mistakes and falsehoods found in his Annals of Genoa and his Psalter (Giustiniano's Polyglott Psalter of 1516), the Senate of Genoa has laid a penalty upon any person that shall read or keep them; and has caused them to be carefully sought out in all places they have been sent to, that they may by public decree be utterly destroyed and utterly extinguished'." (Parke Bernet). Title-page printed in red and black; attractive wood-cut of St. George and the Dragon on verso of title-page. Large 8vo (29.5 x 21cm), [14], 282 leaves. A bit of browning to a few leaves, otherwise clean fresh copy. Bound in 19th century quarter calf over boards, fore-edge yellow. [Adams G-751; Sabin 27518; Sander 3191.]

$1,500.00

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. Aurea Divi Thome aquinatis de ordine predicatorum doctoris Angelici Summa contra gentiles. Venice: S. [Bevilaqua] for A. Calcedonius, November 7, 1501. Rare post-incunable of Aquinas' work 'Summa Contra Gentiles', perhaps the best known of his theological treatises after the Summa Theologica. Originally written as a kind of handbook to be used in Muslim mission territories, the work has been often cited throughout the centuries for its keen and clear theological insights. This early publication from the press in Venice is quite handsome, with a large wood-cut of the archangel Gabriel adorning the title-page. Large 8vo (21.5 x 15cm), [xii] + CCXLIII leaves (some misnumbered, but complete). Woodcut initials throughout, wide margins. Bound in vellum. [GW M46564. - Edit 16, CNCE 33852. - Sander 7298 (erroneously 1500). - Not in the BM STC and Adams.]

$5,000.00

[ITALIAN STATUTES] Statuta communitatis S. Columbani et sue iurisdictionis. Lodi: Apud Vincentium Taietum, 1586. An extraordinarily rare book printed in the Lombard town of Lodi regarding the statutes and governance of the little munciplaity of San Colombano al Lambro near Milan. The Duke of Milan held an estate in this district, and the statutes were initially issued by his order in 1432. They were later adopted by the municipal authorities of Pavia, for the control of the sale of bread, wine, meat and fish. There were very severe penalities enacted for publicans guilty of giving short measure or adding water to wine. A printing press was first established in Lodi in 1583 by Francesco Bonati; in 1584 he was replaced by Vincenzo Taieti, who published the work offered here. The beautiful wood-cut on the title-page is of the Celtic Saint, St. Columba, who travelled to the region in the early Middle Ages and for whom the municipality is named after. I have been able to locate only one copy outside of Italy. Folio (28.6 x 20cm), [6], 35 [i.e.41], [1] leaves. Stain and repair to upper corner of title-page, a few light spots in text. Bound in modern limp vellum with ties, housed in clam-shell box. [BBII, 624; BG 1137] 

$7,500.00



POPE CLEMENT VIII (1536-1605). Pro altare privilegiato... Rome: Apud Impressores Camerales, 1599. 

Very rare four page printing of three letters issued by Pope Clement VIII concerning the Philippines and the Kingdom of Japan. Written while Clement VIII was residing in Ferrara in 1598, these letters are written most likely in response to Franciscan priest Francisco de Montilla's brief visit to Italy following his missionary activity to the Philippines and the Far East. Indeed, the last two letters mention Montilla by name. Montilla, a native of Spain, traveled to Mexico in 1580, and from there to the Far East. He is the author of a work entitled: Historia de la propagacion de la fe, en Filipinas, Japon, China, Cochinchina y Siam (November 22, 1602). He was in Italy in 1595-96 on business for the general chapter, and it is probably during this period that he obtained an audience with the Pope and asked for assistance with the missions in the East. Clement issued these three decrees in response to the news that Montilla and his companions brought. The first letter is an indulgence granted to all who are willing to financially assist the Hospital San Juan de Dios in Manila, founded in 1596, making it the third oldest hospital on the islands. The second letter grants permission to Montilla to remove relics from the city of Rome and its environs and transport them to the Philippines and Japan in order to "augment the devotion" of the faithful. The third letter is similar in nature, granting an indulgence to all who financially contribute to ensuring that the relics are worthily housed in a chapel. I could locate only two copies of this pamphlet in worldwide libraries - one in Rome and the other at the National Library of Scotland. This small quarto measures 24 x 17cm and has the signatures A, B, and C labeled at the bottom of the first three pages. Pages also numbered. Wood-cut initials begin each letter.

$2,000.00