This handsome and SCARCE book is famous for its woodcut illustrations: It has one quarter-page, four half-page, one three-quarter page, and eleven full-page woodcuts. These include battle scenes, the assassination, camp life, etc., all of the figures being dressed anachronistically in Renaissance garb.

The text is printed in large gothic in double-column format.

•  Index Aurel. 128.654; Schmidt, Repertoire bibliographique Strasbourgeois, no. 91, p. 40–41; Schweiger, II, 51; not in Adams (who only lists much later editions in German). Recased in an 18th-century vellum-over-boards binding. Sophisticated copy in all likelihood, with several leaves apparently supplied from a different copy, those leaves being either slightly smaller than the others or more heavily sized. Occasional light waterstains in from a very few margins; two leaves with old scribbling in ink in margins; minor worming in lower margin of last six leaves. A very nice copy of a very scarce book that is clearly difficult to find complete, incomplete, or sophisticated.

Hatfield had published the Commentarii twice before, in 1585 and 1590, with the present printing being the most uncommon of the three; together these publications mark the first, second, and third Latin printings of the works in England. This copy lacks the two folding maps — but any example of this printing is difficult to find, with OCLC and ESTC reporting only two U.S. institutional holdings.

Binding:  Contemporary mottled calf; spine divided by triple blind-rules into four compartments, plain with no labels. Each cover bordered with a blind double rule, then within that divided (not into concentric panels but) vertically into two unequal tall compartments. Each compartment's every corner is further modestly decorated with a blind-tooled ornament resembling a very pointy strawberry. Now in a box as described and pictured below.

•  STC (rev.) 4334; ESTC S115140. This ed. not in Schweiger or Dibden.   Contemporary binding as above, worn and rubbed with front joint repaired, back joint starting just starting with volume quite firm; closely trimmed with some captions and sidenotes touched/shaved. Lacking the two maps and six leaves from the preliminaries; commentaries and final indices, etc., complete. Pastedowns and endpapers with early inked and pencilled annotations and sketches (including two ownership inscriptions dated 1708 and one sketch labelled, “a fine windy day”); front free endpaper and fly-leaf partially cut away; title-page verso with early inked annotation in Latin. A very few early inked corrections, a few instances of inked numerals in margins. Pages age-toned, with occasional light spotting; second half of volume with light waterstaining to outer margins. Now housed in an attractive clamshell case of quarter black calf over aubergine moiré silk with gilt-stamped spine, as shown, designed to resemble a bound volume.  (23931)

Single-click the image, for an enlargement.

•  Removed from a nonce volume and now in wrappers. A very good copy.

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The engraved portrait of Queen Elizabeth was done by C. van Queboren.

•  Willems 227; Copinger 759.   Period-style calf framed and panelled in gilt fillets embellished with blind rolls and gilt-stamped corner fleurons, spine with gilt-stamped title, gilt-decorated raised bands, and blind-tooled patterned bands in compartments; binding signed G.B. (Grace Bindings) in blind at inner area of rear cover, lower turn-in. Pages age-toned. Title-page with inked numeral in upper outer corner; pages with scattered instances of early inked underlining and bracketing. Approximately 50 leaves with light to faint waterstaining in outer portions, extending into text; one leaf with tear from upper margin, extending through first paragraph.  (18995)

•  Narratio: Adams C436; Brunet, II, 1009; VD16 C480 / VD16 C408. Libellus: Brunet, II, 1009; VD 16 C409; not in Adams. Tertius libellus: Brunet, II, 1009; VD16 C410. Binding as above, spine with later hand-inked paper label; binding much darkened and somewhat rubbed, one clasp intact and the other lacking. First title-page with ownership inscription dated 1559 inked in lower margin; Libellus alter lacking last leaf of preface (with errata on reverse) and Tertius libellus epistolar lacking title-page. Some corners dog-eared; two leaves with outer corners torn away, without loss to text. Early inked underlining and lining through of text, with a few marginalia, mostly in Narratio and occasionally in other two works. Last few leaves of final work with light waterstaining to lower outer corners.

Click the interior image for an enlargement.

Binding:  Contemporary dark green straight-grain morocco, spine with gilt-stamped rules, rolls, and devices. Covers framed with a delicately curly gilt-rolled border; the center panels, within, accented by gilt-stamped corner fleurons. A bit of additional filigree in blind appears both within the rules of the gilt border and within the border on each center panel, to nice subtle effect. Gilt inner dentelles. All edges gilt.

•  NSTC C355.   Binding as above, leather rubbed at edges and joints, spine a bit dimmed. Front pastedown with armorial bookplate of John Allan Powell; front fly-leaf with inked inscription dated 1922. A few spots of foxing, pages otherwise clean. A pretty and very English production for this Portuguese poet.  A charming volume.  (23077)

Single-click image at left
for an enlargement.

Rare: Only one copy of this edition traced via NUC Pre-1956, OCLC, and RLIN (at the Bancroft Library).

•  Quarter vellum with vellum turn-ins. Covers originally covered with gilt or marbled paper, now lost, exposing underlying paste boards—a rather interesting effect. Spine divided into compartments by gilt rolls; a tan leather label, gilt-lettered. Somewhat cockled. Pages untrimmed. Upper outer corner of title-leaf repaired with paper. Two wormholes through frontispiece, plate, and first three printed leaves, with a little loss to illustrations (which yet remain effective) and to parts of individual letters; some additional worming in the margins, not affecting text.

Provenance: Ownership note of the Baptist Weekly Journal (or, occasionally, a personal name) to each front wrapper.

Vol. I (1830), #s 1, 2, 7, 9, 10. Vol. II (1831), #s 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12. Vol. III (1832), #s 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 12. Vol. IV (1833), #s 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Vol. V (1834), #s 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12. Vol. VI (1835), #s 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 12. Vol. VII (1836), #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Vol. IX, #6 (issued and bound with Extra #8). New Series: Vol. I (1837), #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. Vol. II (1838), #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Extras: #2 (Dec. 1830); #3 (Dec. 10, 1831); #s 4&5 (Aug. 6, 1832); #6 (Aug. 5, 1833); #7 (August, 1834); #8 (Oct., 1835); #11 (Oct., 1839).

Alexander Campbell (1788–1866) was the founder of the Disciples of Christ.

•  In original wrappers, uncut, many issues unopened. Dust-soiling, edges of pages chipping. All issues with early ownership inscription at top of front wrapper. Not just a “good run” of this periodical, but also, with relatively few (if striking) exceptions, a gathering offering some good copies. (20390)

Provenance:  On front free endpaper in 18th-century hands: “del uso de Sor Maria Coleta,” lined through; below which, “del uso de Sor M[ari]a Juan Nep[umacen]a.

The printer has supplied two charming initials, an “I” and a “C.”

•  Medina, Mexico, 9208.   Publisher's limp vellum with remnants of ties. Occasional light foxing. Ownership signatures as noted.  (23966)

Interestingly, the editors of this edition have chosen to play doctor, and in the service of good nutrition, have added codes to certain recipes identifying them as “Bonne,” “Mauvaise” or “Difficile à digérer,” among other categories. This revised and enlarged edition is the tenth, following the first edition in 1822. RLIN and OCLC show no institutional holdings of this particular, unusual edition.

•  Cagle 175 (for 1826 ed.); Vicaire 142 (not listing this ed.). Recent three quarter calf over marbled paper–covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped leather title label and gilt-stamped decorative devices between raised bands. Some corners dog-eared; some leaves with faint areas of waterstaining and spots of foxing. One plate appears to be lacking, as the numbering goes from IV to VI; no similar copy could be found to compare collations, as earlier editions have fewer plates and later have more.

Click the image for an enlargement.

The Pennsylvania Society for the Promotion of Internal Improvements in the Commonwealth was established in Philadelphia, in December 1824, to disseminate information on the latest improvements in the development of transportation systems including roads, railways, canals, bridges, etc.; William Strickland, Mathew Carey, Richard Peters, Jr., Joseph Hemphill, Stephen Duncan, and Gerard Ralston were among its members.

•  Shoemaker 15654, 21855, 19953, 19955, & 19949. Light blue paper–covered boards, spine with printed paper title-label. Light age-toning and spotting, more pronounced in last few leaves. Final (blank) leaf with early inked ownership signature; child’s pencilled drawings on one blank page.

This first edition is printed with handsome woodcut initials and headpieces in the Greek Classical style; the fold-out map shows Ancient Greece, Asia Minor, and the Black Sea.

•  On Carli, see Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th ed.,V, 339. Contemporary vellum over paste boards; spine with gilt title framed with gilt rolls. Covers somewhat cockled and vellum splitting along edges of covers with some scratches and staining. Pages generally clean with occasional traces of soiling or fine spotting; pencilled notation and inked ownership inscription on title-page. All edges speckled red.

An Englishman through and through, Carr seems sincerely to have liked Ireland and the Irish he met. His book is full of extended and very readable detail — some original, much quoted — on (e.g.) language matters and Irish poetry, Irish agriculture and industry, Irish management of charities, Irish “sights” and ruins, Irish marriage cust marriage customs — and the implications of a potato-based diet.

Provenance: Contemporary inked inscription reading “Tho.s Wynne.”

•  Shaw & Shoemaker 10096. On Carr, see: The Dictionary of National Biography. Contemporary mottled sheep, spine with gilt-stamped title-label; leather moderately rubbed, joints cracking and spine label dimmed. Title-page with owner's name as described above; title-page and one other stamped. Pages, except for central leaves, with waterstaining in lower margins; two pages with smeared spots of ink. (11960)

The publication information comes from ESTC.

•  STC 4714; ESTC S107569; Lowndes, Bibliographer’s Manual, 381. Contemporary calf framed in blind with central blind-tooled medallions, rebacked some time ago, spine with gilt-stamped leather title-label and gilt-ruled raised bands; worn and rubbed, covers with pinhole worm damage, spine with small discolored area from a now-absent label. Ex-library with old institutional bookplate, perforation-stamp, and stamped and inked numerals; back pastedown with remnants of pocket. Title-page (only) now lacking.  Pages age-toned; instances of pinhole worming throughout, mostly confined to lower margins but sometimes in text without loss of sense; image of title-page, thanks to a friend, suppliable. Scattered early inked corrections and instances of underlining or lining through.

The first edition appeared in Seville in 1491. In the 1555 Gregorio López issued his influential edition with commentary, which became the standard edition, reprinted several times in subsequent centuries. According to Palau, López "revisó y corregió escrupulosamente los manuscritos y textos anteriores, en los que el descuido de copistas e impresores había llegado a introducir variantes de importancia y a falsear el espiritú del legislador. De modo que esta edición [i.e., la primera] fue declarada como texto único auténtico y legal en la práctica del foro."

In the years following issuance of the 1555 edition, corruptions began to enter the text yet again, and in 1759 a further revision was ordered to bring the text back to its original wording and sense. This is only the second edition of that revision. Its printer was Monfort, one of Spain's best 18th-century practioners of the black art. The main title-page is printed in black and red, the text in clear and precise roman with some italic in double-column format; López's notes are laid in below the text. A fine engraved headpiece adorns the "Prólogo" in vol. I and a handsome woodcut headpiece of a ship under full sail on the open sea introduces each partida. Additionally there is a modest use of historiated initials.

•  Palau 7007 (Siete partidas) & 7008 (index). Contemporary mottled calf, round spines, raised bands, gilt spines extra. Minor abrasions on some covers. All edges carmine. Silk place markers. A very few instances of worming, holes filled by means of the 18th-century version of leafcasting (i.e., a paper slurry "painted" onto the paper to fill the opening): a few letters lost in some words, but sense not obscured. A very handsome set of a very important book.

This edition was densely printed in roman type at the Sessa Press. It has a large woodcut on the title-page of St. Catherine receiving the Stigmata and a small xylograph on the colophon page of the famous Sessa printer's device of the cat and mouse.

All pre-17th-century editions are scarce if not rare. Of this edition we trace only four library copies in the U.S., and this is one, deaccessioned, of that quartet.

•  Index Aurel. 134.030; Essling 739; Sander 1819; Shaaber C268.   Later vellum. Library bookplate on front pastedown and rubber-stamp on closed bottom edges; shadow of erased pencilled call number on a front blank. Semicircular stain of varying extent (not ink, not water, not wax) to pages of central section and but a very few other stains; pleasantly clean. Early, excellent repair to margin of last leaf. (12228)

•  Publisher’s printed paper wrappers, detached and darkened, front wrapper with tear from inner margin, paper split and chipped along spine, front wrapper with paper shelving label. Title-page with institutional stamp (no other markings). A few plates with very light spots of foxing. Very interesting!

•  Sabin 80996; Pilling, Algonquian, 462; Pilling, Proof-sheets, 3601a. Not in Banks; not in Evans. Original buckram, showing minor water damage; upper page margins waterstained, obviously to very lightly. Title-page with library stamps and some rough old pen-markings; first two leaves a bit torn at binding.

This is printed in Latin with a Spanish translation in the facing column, sidenotes, and a woodcut initial. A search of NUC Pre-1956, RLIN, and OCLC revealed only two copies of the constitution in addition to the one given in Palau.

•  Palau 27260. On Benedict XIV, see New Catholic Encyclopedia, II, 278. Removed from a nonce volume. Paper generally clean and crisp with a few small spots of foxing and waterstaining. Paper closely trimmed by binder, shaving some sidenotes.

•  Shipton-Mooney 47375; Bristol B9047; Arndt, German Language Printing in the U.S., 965. Not in Evans; not in Parsons. Full calf, antique German-American style. Title-page with insect damage and some small loss of paper; mounted. Occasional bug-spotting. Uniformly age-toned. A solid copy.

Click the image for an enlargement.

•  Brunet, I, 1680 (for Barbou’s 1754 printing); Graesse, II, 87; Schweiger, II, 83. Contemporary mottled calf, nicely gilt-decorated and all edges gilt; front joint open with leather rubbed, acid-pitted, and cracking; spine rubbed; spine label chipped and partly lacking. Front pastedown with private collector’s bookplate, small shelving ticket, and institutional rubber-stamp; front free endpaper reverse with rubber-stamp; front fly-leaf with inked owner’s name dated 1863. Plates very slightly browned; light spotting to a few upper outer corners. Not a coddled book — but, a complete one.

•  Publisher's cloth, covers framed in blind, front cover and spine with gilt-stamped title; edges and extremities lightly rubbed, spine darkened with gilt dimmed. Front fly-leaf with inked gift inscription dated [18]96. Pages clean, two with lower corners dog-eared. All edges gilt. (13988)

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