Contact us at WeBuyRareBooks@gmail.com or Text Photos (646) 469-1851 for a free evaluation of your old and rare books. Our main gallery is located by appt. at 1050 2nd Ave (@55th) Gallery 90 in the Manhattan Art and Antique Center. We also are opening a second office in San Diego, CA by appt. only. We travel widely and buy nationwide.
PRINTED 1536-1576: TWO SEPARATE BOOKS BOUND in ONE
[I] Caballinus de Cingulo, Gasparus [Pseud.] DuMoulin, Charles. De eo quod interest tractatus ad theoricam praximque utilissimus : Accessit brevis et analytica discussio de inofficiosis testamentis, donationibus et dotibus : Discutitur etiam quaestio una ad materiam … l. si unquam C. de reuo. dona. spectans, de donatione in contractu matrimonii celebtrata Coloniae Agripp : Jo. Gymnic, 1576. [16], 444 p
Bound with…
[II] Stephani de Phedericis Brixiensis, De Interpretatione Iuris, Commentarii IIII. iam recens studiosis restituti, & à mendis quantum fieri potuit, repurgati. Stephanus de PHEDERICIS. De Interpretatione Iuris, Commentarii IIII. Lyons: Jean Barbous, alias le Normand, for Jean Frellon, 1536. 8°. Final blank. Woodcut device on title, woodcut initials. (Worming to lower blank margins of M8 to the end, some old staining.) 8vo., [8]., 201, [1]., [10], Baudrier V,p.172. Attractive binding of limp decorated vellum. First t.p. with inner gutter re-margined. first few lvs and last index lvs with minor dampstaining, some light browning, late 17th century annotations, some occasional lower marginal dampstaining. Overall, an attractive volume.
Two works on Roman laws. While Dumoulin is certainly the more famous French jurist, the second 1536 volume is especially rare and was cited by Hugo Grotius. “Dumoulin gained his great reputation, being regarded by his contemporaries as the prince of jurisconsults. His remarkable erudition and breadth of view had a considerable effect on the subsequent development of French law. He was a bitter enemy of feudalism, which he attacked in his Defendis (1539)” [Wikipedia]
PRINTED 1554: FAMOUS COMPENDIUM OF ANCIENT MEDICAL SOURCES- SOME ONLY FOUND IN ORIBASIUS
WITH THE SPLENDID ALDINE DOLPHIN AND ANCHOR
The Book:
Oribasius; Giovanni Battista Rasario; Manuzio family.. Oribasii Sardiani Synopseos ad Eustathium filium libri novem : quibus tota medicina in compendium redacta continetur. Venetiis : Apud Paulum Manutium, Aldi filium, 1554. Colophon: Venetiis, Apvd Pavlvm Manvtivm, Aldi filivm, M. D. LIIII. Aldine device on t.p. and verso of final leaf. COMPLETE. 216 leaves ; 16 cm. References: Adams O 272; Renouard 159, 7; Durling 3411; Wellcome I, 4648; Handome copy in limp vellum, light spotting, minor inner marginal stain to last leaves, old discoloration of removed ex-libris on upper front pasetdown. FIRST LATIN EDITION. Rare in a contemporary binding in such nice condition; a similar copy sold Reiss & Sohn 2006 EURO 1624.00 [SOLD]
“Oribasius or Oreibasius (Greek: Ορειβάσιος) (c. 320–400) was a Greek medical writer and the personal physician of the Roman emperorJulian the Apostate. He studied at Alexandria under physician Zeno of Cyprus[1] before joining Julian’s retinue. He was involved in Julian’s coronation in 361, and remained with the emperor until Julian’s death in 363. In the wake of this event, Oribasius was banished to foreign courts for a time, but was later recalled by the emperor Valens. Oribasius’s major works, written at the behest of Julian, are two collections of excerpts from the writings of earlier medical scholars, a collection of excerpts from Galen and the Collectiones, a massive compilation of excerpts from other medical writers of the ancient world. The first of these works is entirely lost, and only 25 of the 70 (or 72) books of the Collectiones survive. This work preserves a number of excerpts from older writers whose writings have otherwise been lost, and has thus been valuable to modern scholars. The earliest known description of a string figure, presented as the surgical sling Plinthios Brokhos by Greek physician Heraklas, is among the preserved material” [Worldcat]
He who cries “crocodile tears”, or will “call a spade a spade”,
or needs to “start from scratch”
ORIGINAL LIMP VELLUM RETAINING STRING TIES
The Book:
[Desiderius Erasmus;] Epitome adagiorvm D. Erasmi Roterodami : in locos digesta commvnes : singulari fide recognita, & multis aucta locis, in quibus antea manca videbatur : huic adiecta proximè, pars altera auctorum sane multorum, qui prouerbia post Erasmum ediderunt. Parisiis : Apud Ægidium Beys, sub signo Lilij albi, via Iacobæa, 1583. 8 vo., 579 pgs + index; evidently this was expanded with a supplemental volume entitled Adagiorvm Omnivm Qvæ A Ivnio, Cæterisqve, Post Erasmi Chiliadas, in lucem prodierunt, Epitome. Cui acce[ss]ere recens Proverbiorvm Collectanea, nunquam antehac edita … Pars Altera; not present here; text block very partially detached, loss to first blank, rubbing to t.p., some staining, pages 381-4 with partial upper loss, partial loss to last blank, some dampstaining, minor inner marginal worming, 289 -329 with thin line upper text wormhole with minor loss; retains original string ties. [SOLD]
The Adagium is an annotated collection of Greek and Latinadages, compiled during the Renaissance by Erasmus, the famous Dutch humanist. According to Speroni (1964, p. 1), Adagia is one of “the most monumental collections of […] adagia ever assembled”. The Adages formed a core part of Renaissance education and had a profound impact on literary style and development. It is, perhaps next to Shakespeare and the King James Bible, the text that provided the greatest number of commonplace sayings in the English language.
Many of the adages have become commonplace in our everyday language, and we owe our use of them to Erasmus. Among these are: ‘make haste slowly’, ‘one step at a time,’ ‘to be in the same boat’ etc…
PRINTED 1658: A REMARKABLE “PEARL BIBLE” KNOWN FOR ITS MINISCULE TYPE
EXTREMELY RARE IN GOOD CONDITION
THE ONLY BIBLE ISSUED UNDER CROMWELL’S ORDER FOR DISTRIBUTION TO HIS SOLDIERS
The Holy Bible : containing the Old Testament and the New newly translated out of the originall tongues and with the former translations diligently compared and revised by his Majesties speciall command. London : printed by John Field one of His Highness’s printers, 1658. 2 vols in 1 (O.T. and N.T) bound with… [Church of Scotland. General Assembly.] Psalms of David in meeter. Newly translated, and diligently compared with the original text, and former translations : More plain, smooth, and agreeable to the text, then any heretofore. Edinburgh, : Printed by A.A. for James Miller, and are to be sold at his shop, in the Cow-gate, on the east side of the Colledge-Wynd, at the sign of St. John the Divine., 1670. 24 mo., only 10.5 cm x 6.5 cm., COMPLETE. T.p., slighty soiled with handsome London engraving, some minor browning, N.T. title page with old rebacking but no loss. Handsome early binding with “W.B.” initials in gilt, possibly a Scottish binding due to the Edinburgh printed Psalms or possibly a Dutch fish-skin styled binding. Provenance: Allard, Joachim (1838-1917), missionary and cleric, “born in 1838 in St. Joachim de Chateauguay, Quebec. He studied in Montreal and entered St. Sulpice seminary in 1862. He was ordained in 1865, and followed Archbishop Tache into the Northwest. He joined the Oblates in St. Boniface in Manitoba, and studied Cree and Ojibwa. He was the first missionary in Fort Alexander in 1876. ”
This remarkable and beautiful bible, is known as the “Pearl Bible,” from the miniscule type with which it was printed. Most 19th century bibliographers cite it as extremely rare in good condition and the copy for sale here is a handsome and complete example. Rev. Allard who owned the Bible cites Graesse on the flyleaf as stating that “on la trouve rarement intacte.” Lowndes cites the Williams’s and Roxburghe catalogues and reiterates “One of the most correct and beautiful editions of the Bible, seldom found in good preservation. Williams, 199,. in fish-skin, 11. 16».; Roxburghe 17, SI. 17*.” Additionally the Bible received mention in D’ Israeli’s Curiosities of Literature (d’Israeli, Curios. of Lit. Vol. III. p.-388.) It appears that Lowndes overlooked many of the errors found in the text, and others describe the work as a bibliographical curiosity and, in fact, as one of the most incorrect versions, even giving it the appellation of “Bastard’s Field Bible”
It is interesting to note that the Williams catalog calls attention to a “Fish-skin” binding. While there have been fish-skin bindings, this more probably refers to the slightly unusual fish-skin styled grain of the morocco as in the present example. There is some supposition that the edition is in fact a counterfeit one, made in Holland for the English market, but this appears inconclusive. Additionally some references point out without clear proof, that the Pearl Bible was intended for the Commonwealth Army and Navy as a pocket Bible and that it was the only Bible printed under Cromwell’s clear order for such distribution.
For price comparison only, a similar copy in a “Scottish binding,” though listed as imperfect (w.a.f) sold for $325 almost 30 years ago. See: Bible in English – [Bible]. L: John Field, 1658 – Bound in 2 vols. 24mo, – 18th-cent mor Scottish bdg. ;- Sold w.a.f – Christie’s, May 19, 1982, lot 148A, £180 ($325.80), Maggs – Herbert 664
DIRECTLY LED TO THE END OF CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
A FUNDAMENTAL WORK OF COMPARATIVE RELIGION
NO COPIES IN 30 YEARS OF AMERICAN AUCTION RECORDS
4 VOLS in 1; Vol 2 with all six parts- COMPLETE
VOL I [Noël Alexandre] Conformité des Ceremonies Chinoises avec l’idolatrie Grecque et Romaine pour servir de confirmation à l’Apologie des Dominicains Missionnaires de la Chine. A Cologne : Chez les heritiers de Corneille d’Egmond, 1700 with the 1 leaf Censura Sacræ Facultatis Theologiæ Parisiensis granting printing permission. [Likely, the Cologne imprint is fictitious, and it is more reasonably a Paris or Amsterdam imprint similar to the contemporary Jesuit publications of Jesuits Michel le Tellier and Charles le Gobien.] BOUND WITH… VOL II (containing all six parts): Lettre d’un docteur de l’ordre de S. Dominique (le P. Noël Alexandre) sur les cérémonies de la Chine, au R.P. Lecomte, de la Compagnie de Jésus, confesseur de Madame la Duchesse de Bourgogne : [suivi de] ; Lettre de messieurs des missions étrangères au Pape, sur les idôlatries et les superstitions chinoises : [suivi de] ; II. Lettre d’un docteur de l’ordre de Saint Dominique sur les cérémonies de la Chine, au Révérend Père Dez, provincial des jésuites : [suivi de] ; III. Lettre d’un docteur de l’ordre de St. Dominique au R.P. Le Comte, confesseur de Madame la Duchesse de Bourgogne, sur son système de l’ancienne religion de la Chine : [suivi de] ; III. Lettre d’un docteur de l’ordre de St. Dominique au R.P. Lecomte, confesseur de Madame la Duchesse de Bourgogne sur son système de l’ancienne religion de la Chine : [suivi de] ; IV. Lettre d’un docteur en théologie de l’ordre de Saint Dominique sur l’idôlatrie et les superstitions de la Chine, au révérend Père Dez, provincial des jésuites : [suivi de] ; 6 ; V. Lettre d’un docteur en théologie de l’ordre de Saint Dominique sur l’idôlatrie et les superstitions de la Chine au révérend Père Dez, provincial des jésuites : [suivi de] ; VI. Lettre d’un docteur en théologie de l’ordre de SAint Dominique sur l’idôlatrie et les superstitions de la Chine au révérend père Dez, provincial des jésuites BOUND WITH… VOL III: La bonne foy des anciens jesuites missionaires de la Chine sur l’idolatrie des chinois dans le culte qu’ils rendent à Confucius & aux morts : demontrée par des extraits fidéles des livres des RR. peres Athanase Kirchere, Nicolas Trigaut, Alexandre de Rhodes & autre, envoyés à un ami avec quelques reflexiones sur les nouveaux sentimens des RR. PP. Jesuites. [S.l. : s.n., 1700?, presumed C. d’Egmont ] BOUND WITH… VOL IV: [Noël Alexandre] Lettre d’une personne de pieté, Sur un Ecrit des Jesuites contre la Censure de quelques propositions de leurs PP. le comte, le Gobien, etc. touchant la Religion et le cults des Chinois, faite par la Faculté de Théologie de Paris. Cologne : C. d’Egmont, 1701. The Binding: 8 vo., 16 cm., contemporary French calf, raised bands and gilt, some rubbing to hinges, slight wear to head and foot of spine; interally, some browning, but generally an attractive copy. EXTREMELY RARE. No copies appearing of the fundamental work in the ABPC database for over 30 years. [SOLD]
This is a fascinating, very important, and extremely rare collection of tracts. Written by the Dominican Noël Alexandre, it was the “last major salvo” in the famous Chinese rites controversy concerning the evangelization of China. It was highly influential in the final decision of the Pope Clement XI, who made the assessment that Confucian rituals were indeed in conflict with Christian teaching. This in turn led the Kangxi emperor, professing disgust at the ignorance of the Europeans, to ban Christian missions in China, a situation not rectified until 1939. Additionally, the first work present here, the Conformités des cérémonies chinoises avec l’idolatrie grecque et romaine and Sept lettres sur les cérémonies de la Chine, is considered a pioneering work in the study of comparative religion, through its analysis and comparison of Chinese ceremonies to those pagan rituals of the Greeks and Romans.
The copy at Stanford University, which conforms with the present copy, has been digitally reproduced by Octavo books as one of the world’s great books on their “Rare Book Room” Site.
There is also a fascinating description of the present work: See: http://www.rarebookroom.org/pdfDescriptions/alecon.pdf http://www.rarebookroom.org/Control/alecon/index.html
