Category: Uncategorized

August 24, 2010

16th CENTURY MINING IN CONTEMPORARY BLIND-TOOLED PIGSKIN.


PRINTED 1548-1571: A SAMMELBAND OF 5 RARE TITLES

[16th Century Mining and Metallurgy.] [Ordinances and Statues] [Maximilian II (31 July 1527 – 12 October 1576) ] [Ferdinand I (10 March 1503 – 25 July 1564)]
1. Abschiedt der Römischen Kayserlichen Majestat, und gemeiner Stände auff dem Reichstag zu Speyr, Anno MDLXX auffgerichtet.
Gedruckt in der Churfürstlichen Stat, Meintz : durch Franciscum Behem, 1571.  [2; (of 4)]; 103 lvs.., lacking t.p.;. BOUND WITH… 2. [L. Fronsperger, Baron von Mindelheim]. Besatzung. Ein kurtzer bericht, wie Stätt, Schlösser oder Flecken mit kriegs volck soll besetzt sein, dass sie sich für dem Feinde erhalten mögen. Mit einer ausstheylung, was einem Menschen einen jeden tag an Brot und Fleysch, dergleichen was einem jeden Pferd allen tag an Habern soll gegeben werden, dass sie sich nach notturfft erhalten künden. Frankfurt an Main, Feyerabend and Huter, 1563 [2]-16, [2] colophon and final blank present, lacking t.p.; BOUND WITH…. 3. Bergkordnung des freyen Königlichen Bergwercks Sanct Joachimthal, sambt anderen umbligenden und eingeleibten Silberbergkwercken, auffs neue gebessert, Anno domini 1548. Zwickau, 1548. [81] of [82] lvs., with errata and final blank, lacking t.p.. BOUND WITH…. 4. Römischer auch zu Hungern und Behem etc. Kü. Mai. geordente und gebesserte Zinbergkwercks Ordnung der Bergstedt Schlackenwalden, Schönfelden, Lautterpach, sampt derselben zugehörenden gepirgen ; Römischer auch zu Hungern und Behem etc. Kü. Mai. Zinbergkwercks Ordnung auff die Bergkwerck Hengst, Perninger, Lichtenstadt, Platten, Gotsgab, Kaff, Mückenbergk und andern derselbigen orten und enden… BOUND WITH… 5. [Ferdinands I.] Geordente und gGebesserte Zinbergkwercks-Ordnung der Bergkstedt Schlackenu’alden, Schönfelden, Lautterpach, sampt derselben zugehörenden Gepirgen. :[Zwickau:, Wolffgang Meyerpeck, 1548] [22] lvs. t.p., crudely remargined, coat of arms on title page. Ornamental initials and head- and tailpieces. Very Rare. Condition: Handsome contemporary blind-tooled German Pigskin over wooden boards, brass catches, some dampstaining, browning,
marginal repairs, several inserted blanks for notes and annotations as well as contemporary manuscript pages, facsimile bookplate.  [$8500]

Extracting metals from the ground has clearly been a fundamental technology that helped pave the way for advances in human civilization. Besides wealth creation, mining required men and smelters,which led to the founding of many villages and communities that formed a backbone of medieval society. This sammelband of 5 separate and rare works, dated from 1548-1571, is therefore of great scholarly importance to both 16th century German law and the history of technology. It addresses the competing rights and claims of kings, landlords, landowners, as well as the individual miners. Additionally it discusses material covered by Agricola, specifically how a mine can be divided into shares and the roles of various other officials in regulating mines and taxing the production. It should be noted that the two large woodcut illustrations were executed a full eight years before the 1556 edition of Agricola’s De re metallica .

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August 1, 2010

Printed in 1648/9: The famous Eikon Basilike in an extremely early rare issue.

The Most Influential Tract if the English Revolution

Charles, King of England; John Gauden . Eikōn basilikē The Povrtraictvre of His Sacred Maiestie in his solitudes and svfferings. Rom. 8. More then [sic] conquerour, &c. Bona agere, & mali pati, Regium est. [London, Richard Royston?, possibly H. Seile: London,] 1648 [i.e. 1649]. 8vo., 269 pgs. COMPLETE, contemporary calf, front hinge largely split, some 17th century annotations. Some browning and staining as usual, A2 with old margin repair. A VERY RARE and early issue of the famous Eikōn basilikē with only one variant copy listed by Worldcat of this edition. [$1800]

“Eikon Basilike, purportedly the meditations of King Charles before his beheading, has been something of a cause celebre since its first issuance by the renegade Royalist publisher Richard Roylston at the time of the King’s execution… Milton was the first of many to cast doubts on Charles’ authorship. Opinion swung back and forth , seeming to settle on the authorship of Dr. John Gauden, until the publucation in 1950 of Francis M. Madan’s A New Bibliography of the Eikon Basilike, which demonstrated that Gauden had worked closely from Charles’ own papers.” [ref: Christies]

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June 24, 2010

Peacock-feather SANGORSKI & SUTCLIFFE jeweled binding

[BROWNING, Robert] [SANGORSKI, Alberto, calligrapher and illuminator.] “Rabbi Ben Ezra.” [London: for the Grolier Society, ca. 1905-1912]. 24 cm x 18 cm. in a stunning jeweled opal binding by SANGORSKI and SUTCLIFFE.  22 leaves, plus 8 blanks, superbly illuminated floral borders and a full page miniature of Rabbi Ben Ezra.  Colophon statement: recto “The poem of Rabbi Ben Ezra executed by the Grolier Society London, London.” verso “This copy of Rabbi Ben Ezra by Robert Browning, was especially written out, illuminated, and bound by hand and will not be duplicated.” Phoebe A.D. Boyle – Anderson New York, 19-20 November 1923, lot 55.  [SOLD]

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May 21, 2010

Printed 1872: The First Guide-Book to New York for Spanish Speakers.

With Map. Exceedingly Rare. Only 1 other Copy recorded by Worldcat

The Book:

Guia de la ciudad de Nueva York. Nueva York : N. Ponce de Leon, 1872. Description: viii, 236, 20, 4 p., plates : map ; 23 p. of advertising at end of book. . 8vo., 17 cm. Original contemporary stamped cloth, stained, textblock loose, some chipping as depicted to head of spine. Overall, a good and complete copy of an important cultural relic.

Néstor Ponce de Leon was the most important publisher of books and pamphlets advancing the revolutionary cause. Ponce de Leon edited liberal magazines and newspapers in Cuba before becoming persecuted. He was pursued by the colonial police, who had found weapons in his house, though he managed to embark for the United States in February 1869 and went into political exile. This exceedingly rare guidebook to New York , that he compiled and published, is the first guidebook printed for New York’s Spanish speaking community.

Worldcat cites only 1 other recorded copy in the New York Historical Society.

guide2

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January 6, 2010

HIGHLY IMPORTANT 1388 MEDIEVAL SPANISH MANUSCRIPT

FOUNDING DOCUMENT OF THE CITY OF Magán, Spain

A 14th century copy of the 1298 original (apparently now lost) by Don Pedro Tenorio, the famous Archbishop of Toledo

The Manuscript:

[Medieval Spanish Manuscript on Vellum] [Toledo, Spain, 1298, this copy executed in 1388] Size: 64 x 38 cm., ” Translado de fundación del Mayorazgo [la aldea] de Magán por Garci Manes, alcade mayor de Toledo [que ortogo] el 9 de enero de la era de 1298 [ano 1260], cuyo original se deposito en el Sagrario dela St. Iglesia Primada de Toledo enel ano x1388, pro mandado de Don Pedro Tenorio, dando una copa a cade uno delos interasados que acudienon apedirala. ” Verso with original 1388 copy, recto with numerous 17th century additions and explanatory text. Partial Tear to one fold not affecting manuscript. Overall, Very Good as depicted. [$6500]

A Highly important medieval Spanish document from several standpoints. For the history of Spanish law, it represents one of the earliest obtainable examples of a “Mayorazgo,” this one being particularly important as it established the city of Magán near Toledo. The Mayorazgo, which granted hereditary rights (generally solely to the first male heir), was a very important legal development under Alfonso X, who established the foundation of Iberian law which stood for centuries. “As a ruler, Alfonso X showed legislative capacity, and a wish to provide the kingdoms expanded under his father with a code of laws and a consistent judicial system. He began medieval Europe’s most comprehensive code of law, the Siete Partidas, which, however, thwarted by the nobility of Castile, was only promulgated by his great-grandson. Because of this, and because the Partidas remain fundamental law in the American Southwest, he is one of the 23 lawmakers depicted in the House of Representatives chamber of the United States Capitol. ” [Wikipedia]

The document states that this is a 14th century copy, executed in 1388, of the original which was deposited for safekeeping in the archives of the Cathedral of Toledo under the direction and hand of Don Pedro Tenorio, the famous Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo, to whom the city owes her glory almost as much as to her Kings. This copy appears signed D.P. Arzobispo Toledo, but this may be a secretarial signature. Another copy of the document, and what appears to be a tertiary copy (i.e. another or later copy- the original 1298 one likely lost) is cited by that magnificent reference work, the Indice de la Colección de don Luis de Salazar y Castro, as being held as Manuscript 50.940 by the Real Academia de la Historia. [Ref: “‪Indice de la colección de don Luis de Salazar y Castro, Volumes 32-33‬‎ – Page 99; Manuscript 50.940. Published: Real Academia de la Historia]

The copy in the Real Academia de la Historia, was collected by great manuscript collector, the Thomas Phillips of Spain: Luis de Salazar. “Luis de Salazar y Castro (Valladolid, 1658 – Madrid, 1734), called by some the prince of the genealogists, is one of the most quoted writers Spanish. The collection of documents gathered throughout his life, preserved in the Royal Academy of History of Spain, is one of the basic sources for the investigation of the Iberian lineage. ”

Such a founding manuscript of a Spanish town, even if a 14th century copy of the the 13th century original, is of extreme rarity outside of Spanish Institutional holdings.

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