This copy bears an inked dedication to “Marian” (Marianne Case, also addressed as “Mary”), dated 1853.

•  Not in Faxon.   Publisher's red sheep in imitation of morocco, covers framed in gilt double fillets surrounding a blind roll inner border incorporating blind-tooled corner fleurons; central title gilt-stamped on front cover and blind-stamped on back; worn and rubbed overall, with spine leather lost and hinges (inside) tender. Back free endpaper lacking; one guard leaf mostly torn away. Some colored leaves faded; incidents of foxing varying from mild to moderate.  (26148)

The minister-turned-printer Kuyper (1629–91) produced only Socinian works in the decade 1663–73, many edited by Andreas Wissowatius, Socinus's grandson who had an influential hand in the present opera. The printer Samuel Przypkowski, whose shop produced earlier volumes in the series of which these are a part, contributed the brief biography of Socinus here; and he has graced the text with refined tailpieces, large initials against a floriated background, and woodcut devices to the section titles (some initialed “HB” for printer Hendrick Boom). There are occasional Hebrew references in vol. II.

Provenance:  Early inscription “Middeldorpf” on front flyleaf; bookplate and stamp of Rochester Theological Seminary (later the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School). Deaccessioned 2005.

Evidence of readership: Sparse ink annotations in a contemporary hand; underlining throughout, heavy in quires R–S and Nnn–Ppp in vol. I.

•  Knijff & Visser, Bibliographia sociniana, 2004–5 (for Bib. fratrum polonorum, see 2001–11); Estreicher Bibliografia polska, XIII: 45–48; Knuttel, Verboden boeken 60; STCN/ Bock I: 46–54; Wallace, Antitrinitarian Biography (for notes on protagonists of the movement); NCE 13: 397–8 (Socinianism).   Contemporary northern-European style vellum over boards ruled in blind, panels with blind-stamped central cartouches, blue speckled edges and evidence of ties; old spotting and soiling with front joint (outside) of vol. II partially open at top and bottom but binding sound. Institutional stamps to each title-page and another few places as above, and additionally an old library sticker to spine of vol. II; old underlining and other inkings as above. Paper somewhat age-toned, with foxing and the occasional stain or short tear; indices (only) with light waterstains in some lower margins (only). A good, solid, clean set.  (29264)

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Binding: Publisher's ribbon-embossed green geometric-patterned cloth of Krupp's style Gt2; original printed paper labels.Do please click to enhance the image of this handsome American binding cloth— it's hard to show, but worth trying to see!

•  American Imprints 49627. On the binding, see: Krupp, Bookcloth in England & America, 1823–1850, Gt2.   Bindings as above, cocked; edges, extremities, labels rubbed, chipped, spotted — far from fresh, but also far from devastated. Ex–social club library: bookplate on each front pastedown, call numbers in a 19th-century hand (lined through) on pastedown and front free endpaper, title-pages and a few others rubber-stamped. No other institutional markings. Front hinge (inside) of vol. I starting, text block pulling away from spine, first few leaves starting to separate. Front fly-leaf with pencilled numeral and pencilled doodle/sketch of a chubby child; occasional faint pencilled annotations. A few scattered spots of staining, pages mostly clean.  (26294)

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“Some part of this book is copied from different books of Joanna Southcott's writings, which are in print; but all the other part, from herself and the answers given to her from the Spirit, I took from her mouth. ann underwood” (p. 88).

•  NSTC U32; Wright, Joanna Southcott Collection, 57(2).   Later blue paper wrappers. Title-page and first text page institutionally perforation-stamped; first text page with rubber-stamped numeral in lower portion. Title-page darkened, with edges ragged. Pages age-toned with occasional edge chips, stains, or bumped corners; one leaf with upper outer corner torn away, not affecting text. Now housed in a maroon cloth clamshell case with gilt-stamped ivory leather title-label.  (25061)

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•  NSTC U33; Wright, Joanna Southcott Collection, 58(1).   Later blue paper wrappers. Title-page with small chip to lower margin. Last few leaves darkened, with small burn hole in upper outer portion affecting a few letters. Now housed in a maroon cloth clamshell case with gilt-stamped ivory leather title-label.  (25062)

Binding

Provenance: Infante Duc de Montpensier (sixth son of King Louis Philippe), husband of the Infanta Maria Louisa (Queen Isabella’s sister), with his bookplate.

•  Palau 236716. Binding as described above, covers showing only very minor wear, spine slightly faded. Front pastedown with bookplate described above. Pages gently age-toned, a few showing mild foxing but most clean. Very attractive.

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•  Palau 87353 (for Granada printing). Removed from a nonce volume. Title-page with shadow of pencilled numeral and faintly inked earlier numeral in upper margin. Pages creased but clean, with tiny hole along fold of last leaf.

Additional volumes continued to be published for many years, under the stewardship of other editors; Stenzel was responsible for I through V.

•  Recent black-flecked paper–covered boards, spines with printed paper title and volume labels. Some upper edges in vol. I and lower corners in vol. II bumped; all edges stained red except for vol. III, which has speckled edges. Vol. III (only) with light offsetting/show-through from print; in fact a clean, nice set. (25346)

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The second edition's “Postscript” promises “additional facts connected with this interesting subject, equally wonderful,” or even “more so.”

William Leete Stone (1792–1844) was a journalist, editor of the “Commercial Advertiser,” advocate of slave emancipation and Greek independence, historian of colonial New York and New England, and first superintendent of public schools in New York City.

Very scarce.

•  NSTC 2S41964; Sabin 92135. See: Dicitonary of American Biography for much on Stone.   Removed from a nonce volume; mildest foxing to first and final leaves with crescent of lost paper to foremargin (only) of one leaf not nearing text. A very good copy.  (11023)

•  Garrison A7.1.a. Publisher’s olive paper–covered boards, front cover and spine stamped in gold; lacking the now seldom-seen dustwrapper, spine very slightly darkened, extremities showing touches of wear. Top edge gilt. Front free endpaper with inked ownership inscription dated 1903. Pages clean. A good-looking copy.