Rare books from Antiquariaat Fragmenta Selecta

Basel (Basileae), Apud Ioan. Vualder, 1539. Folio. (LXXXVIII),549,(1 blank),(26 index) p. Calf 33 cm (Ref: VD16 S9347; Griechischer Geist aus Basler Pressen, 288; USTC 694729; Hoffmann 3,457/58; Ebert 21826; Adams S-1904; Graesse 6/1,506; Schweiger 1,304) (Details: Recently and expertly rebacked antique style: back with 6 raised bands & a morocco shield. Title with engraved architectural borders. Johann Walder's printer's mark on the title, it depicts a parrot sitting on an olive branch. On the verso of the last leaf a second version of this printer's mark, but bigger. Big woodcut initials at the beginning of the books) (Condition: Boards scratched and showing some small inkspots. Corners bumped & abraded. A few small wormholes in the leather of the upper board. A small stain on the title. Small wormhole in the blank outer margin of the first 24 leaves. 3 very small ink annotations. First & last leaves with a slight fold lengthwise. Woodcut bookplate the front pastedown. Old… Read More

(Paris), Prelum Ascensii), 1520. (At the end: 'Impressa sum impensis & recognitione Iodoci Ascensii ad Idus Novemb. Anni Dominici 1520') Folio. (X),178 leaves. 19th century half calf. 30 cm (Ref: BP16_104596; Hoffman 1,412; Renouard 2,145/6; Moreau 1511-1520: 2246; Graesse 1,306; USTC no: 145192) (Details: Back gilt, with a red morocco letterpiece. Marbled paper on the boards. The architectural border on the title-page, filled with fable animals, encompasses the printer's device of Josse Badius (Jodocus Badius or Josse Bade), which features a printing press. A sign reads: 'Prelum Ascensianum', or 'Press of Asse', since Badius was from the Flemish village of Asse; on the press the date 1520. (BATYR, Base de Typographie de la Renaissance, n° 27498); the date, 1520, is repeated in the colophon on the last page. Woodcut initials) (Condition: Binding worn at the extremities. Front joint starting to crack. Old ownership inscription on the title. Paper of the right… Read More

N.pl. (Geneva), Excudebat Henricus Stephanus, 1570. 8vo. (XIV),24;431,(1 blank) p. 18th century vellum 17.5 cm A collection of Trinitarian texts (Ref: GLN-2395; Hoffmann 1,387; Renouard, Estienne p. 133; Graesse 1,243; Butterweck, Athanasius Bibliographie, p. 64/65; Dibdin 1,196: 'scarce and estimable'; not in Brunet) (Details: Two morocco letterpieces on the spine. Boards with gilt borders. Marbled endpapers, edges dyed red. Nice copy) (Condition: The opusculum Liber contra Arianos of Foebadius is not bound at the end, as in the GLN copy, but immediately after the praefatio. The 3 pages with the castigationes (gathering c2, see collation) on Foebadius of P. Pithou and himself, which Beza added to Foebadius' Liber contra Arianos, are lacking) (Note: The Church Father Athanasius, 295-373 AD, is the most famous of the Alexandrian bishops, and is best known as the adversary of the antitrinitarian priest Arius. Because of his struggle with the Arians, the followers of Arius, Athanasius was… Read More

Frankfurt (Francofurti), Apud haeredes Andreae Wecheli, 1584. 8vo. LXXII,592,(88) p. Pigskin 18.5 cm (Ref: VD16 H 2515. Weitere Nummern: VD16 C 6157, VD16 E 4005, VD16 H 2533; Hoffmann 2,236; Graesse 3,256; Ebert 9560, but see also 9542) (Details: Latin translation only. The binding of this book is important in the context of the cultural history of Lutheranism. The binding dates from the last 2 decades of the 16th century. The back has 4 raised bands. The boards are decorated with blind stamped triple fillet borders and a row consisting of floral motives and some tiny portraits. The central panel of the upper board shows a fine example of a well preserved portrait of Johann Friedrich I, the Magnanimous (der Grossmüthige), Elector of Saxony (Kurfürst und Herzog von Sachsen), 1503-1554, in full armour, with 3 lines of text at the bottom: 'Victus eras acie, fidei con / stantia tandem victorem / ante homines fecit et ante deum'; on the lower board the blindstamped impressive and also… Read More

N.pl. (Paris), Vaenundantur in Officina Ascensiana, (1526). (Colophon at the end: 'Sub prelo Ascensiano ad Nonas Febru. 1526') Small folio. (XIV),191 leaves. Contemporary leather. 31 cm (Ref: BP16_104378; Renouard, Badius Ascensius 3, p. 175, no. 9; Hoffmann 3,198/99; cf Schweiger 1,264, ed. Paris, Asc. 1521; Graesse 5,362, Graesse forgot to mention the year 1526; Pettegree/Walsby 83345) (Details: Spine with 6 raised bands. Gilt floral motives in the compartments. Ascensius's woodcut printer's device with the date 1520 on the title-page, surrounded by broad woodcut borders with some allegorical scenes. The short preface of Iodocus Badius Ascensius' is dated 1521. Ca. 60 big woodcut initials) (Condition: Cover grazed, scuffed & soiled. Foot of the spine chafed. Red morocco shield in the second compartment partly gone. Gilt stamp in the centre of both boards erased and made unrecognizable, probably with sandpaper. Two old and faint ownership entries on the title. Below the… Read More

Basel (Basileae), Per Ioannem Oporinum, (1562) (Colophon at the end: 'Basileae, Ex officina Ioannis Oporini, Anno salutis humanae 1562, mense Martio') Folio. p. 1-667; col. 668-679, (1 p.), col. 680-845; (23 index) p. Contemporary blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards. 34 cm This Euripides edition is the first to offer a Greek text accompanied by a (complete) translation into Latin. Autograph dedication by the editor on the title. (Ref: VD16 E 4217; Griechischer Geist aus Basler Pressen no. 200; Hoffmann 2,69; Schweiger 1,115; Dibdin 1,528; Moss 1,416; Brunet 2,1096; Ebert 7077; Graesse 2,519; USTC no. 654877) (Details: Signed binding, produced between 1562 and 1570 by Hans Rietzsch, and probably commissioned by Prince-Bishop of Würzburg, Friedrich von Wirsberg, or his chancellor Balthasar ab Hellu. (See below for the binder and his client) Back with 4 raised bands. Boards decorated with 3 rows of blind-stamped rolls, the first one with floral motives, the second and third comprising… Read More

Leiden (Lugduni Batavorum), Ex officina Ludovici Elzevirii. 1599. 8vo. (XVI),350,(18 index) p. Calf (19th century) 16 cm (Ref: STCN ppn 15153098; Willems 39; Rahir 25; Berghman 835; Hoffmann 2,569; cf. Smitskamp, The Scaliger collection, no.93 for the first edition of 1597; Brunet 3,1247-1248; Ebert 12543; Graesse 4,309) (Details: Back elaborately gilt with four ornamental lozenges. Brown shield in the second 'campartment'. Boards with a triple gilt fillet border, and gilt edges. Edges of the book block sprinkled. Marbled endpapers. The colophon on the last page reads: 'Lugduni Batavorum. Excudebat Ioannes Balduini. VIII. Kal. Maias. anno 1599') (Condition: Nice copy, some slight wear to the extremities, just a bit of rubbing to the joints. Some small, old ink marginalia. Last gathering slightly browning, otherwise a clean and fresh copy) (Note: Lycophron, 3rd cent. BC, was called to Alexandria in Egypt by King Ptolemaeus Philadelphos. There this tragedian wrote his… Read More

Venice (Venetiis), Apud Hieronymum Scotum, 1545. 223,(1 blank) leaves. Limp overlapping vellum. 16 cm (Ref: Edit16 CNCE 16736; Hoffmann 1,528) (Details: Latin translation only. 5 thongs laced through the joints. Woodcut printer's mark on the title and the verso of the last leaf blank, depicting a branch of olive and a palm tree, graft onto trunk, with between them an anchor; anchor and trunk are held together bij the initials SOS (Signum Octaviani Scoti); a banner runs around with the motto: 'In tenebris fulget'. Printed in italis, except for the title. Some historiated and ornamental woodcut initials) (Condition: Vellum age-tanned and slightly soiled. 2 tiny holes in both boards, because of the 2 ties which have disappeared) (Note: In the preface of this book the learned anonymous translator explains his readers that it was his aim to collect for those who are not able to read Greek (qui graeca non legerant) in one volume (in unum eundemque codicem ac seorsum ab reliquis) five speeches,… Read More

Basel (Basileae), Apud Andream Cratandrum, 1526. Cum privilegio Caesareo. (Colophon at the end: 'Basileae, per Andream Cratandrum, Mense Ianuario, anno 1526') 8vo. (VIII),371,(41 index, errata, colophon) p. 20th century overlapping vellum 14.5 cm (Ref: VD16 T 2050; Schweiger 2,487; Graesse 3,512; Ebert 11134) (Details: Printed completely in italic letters. Woodcut printer's mark on the last page, it depicts an almost naked Fortuna with winged feet standing on a globe, which is divided in four parts; in her right hand she hold a opened razor blade, with her left hand she makes a gesture as if she wants to grab something; the back of her head is shaven bald, and the long lock in front is blown to the right; Fortuna stand in an architectural alcove. There is no motto. This variant of Cratander's printer's mark is not mentioned by A. Wolkenhauer, 'Zu schwer für Apoll, die Antike in humanistischen Druckerzeichen des 16. Jahrhunderts', Wiesbaden, 2002) (Condition: Title… Read More

Paris (Lutetiae), Typis Regiis excudebat C. Morellus, 1612. 4to. 3 parts in 1 volume: (XVI),278,(16 index),(2 blank); (XII),211,(1 blank);120 pages. 18th century mottled calf 23.5 cm. 'Editio princeps' of some Byzantine treatises on the art of falconry and hunting with dogs, together with similar texts on hunting. (Ref: J.E. Harting, 'Bibliotheca Accipitraria', London 1891, no.s 316 & 327 & 223; Schweiger 1,358; Hoffmann 1,500; Brunet 5,244/45: 'Recueil recherché et dont les exemplaires sont rares'; Graesse 6/1,331; Ebert 5916) (Details: Back gilt and with 5 raised bands; a gilt ducal (?) crown with 5 strawberry leaves in 5 compartments, and a brown morocco title label in the second compartment. Boards with gilt double fillets, gilt sides and gilt inside dentelles. Marbled endpapers. Edges dyed red. Woodcut printer's mark on the title, a serpent climbing in a plant. Of this edition there are also copies with the imprint: 'Sumptibus Sebastiani… Read More

Basle (Basileae), Eusebii Episcopii opera ac impensa, 1582. Folio. (XX),623,(12 index),(1 printer's mark) p. Modern calf 35.5 cm (Details: Nice copy, bound in modern full (red)brown calf, with 5 raised bands on the back. Spine short title in gilt: 'ARISTOTELIS / DE REPVBLICA'. Text in three columns, with the Greek in the centre flanked by the Latin translations of Piero Vettori and Denys Lambin respectively on each side. Large printer's woodcut device to the title and last page, depicting a bust of 'Hermes triceps' (three-headed Hermes) on a pillar; each of the heads wears a winged helmet; the middle Hermes holds in his right hand a caduceus, and in his left a bishop's staff (Episcopius!); from the pillar seems to hang a chopped off head. Large historiated woodcut letter on leaf a2, woodcut letters of various sizes throughout the text. Wide margins) (Condition: First and last leaf dust-soiled. Small and faint name on the title. Paper yellowing. Small bookplate on the… Read More

Milan, (Mediolani), Regiis Typis, 1819. Large folio. (VIII),LVI pages; leaves (II), I-LVIII, pages LIX-LXX; 1-164 pages. Calf. 60 x 35 cm (Ref: . Hoffmann 2,328; Schweiger 1,161; Brunet 3,282; Ebert 10007; Graesse 3,331; Sandys 3,241) (Details: Back gilt, and with 7 raised bands. Boards with gilt borders and a gilt coat of arms in the centre. Marbled endpapers. Nice engraved architectural title, with 9 round medaillons, 3 of which are portraits of Achilles, Homer and Odysseus, the others show scenes from the Ilias and Odyssea. One full page specimen of the Greek script; 58 engravings accompanying 58 fragments from a 'Codex Ambrosianus Pictus'. Three sumptuous engraved headpieces, one text illustration. Fresh white paper, with very broad margins) (Condition: Upper board detached. Back chafed & damaged. Joint of the lower board cracking, but still strong. Boards with some scratches and rubbings. 2 small wormholes in margin of last 4 leaves. Some faint foxing) (Note: This Homer edition of… Read More

Basel (Basileae), 1560. (Colophon at the end: 'Excudebat Iacobus Parcus, expensis viduae M. Isingrinei, anno 1560, mense martio) 8vo. (LVI),501,(1 blank),(16) p. Pigskin over wooded boards. 17.5 cm 'Interesting text with an interesting provenance' (Ref: VD16 H 3797; Maloney & Savoie no. 369; not in Ebert, Graesse or Brunet) (Details: Back with 4 raised bands. The boards are decorated with blind stamped triple fillet borders and a row consisting of floral motives and some tiny portraits; the central panel of the boards shows palmet motives. 4 contemporary brass clasps on the outer edge of the covers. Woodcut initials. Each chapter contains the Greek text, followed by a Latin translation, and a extensive commentary. Good quality paper) (Condition: Pigskin soiled and slightly stained. The back shows craquelure. The lower corners are somewhat abraded. Front joint starting to split at the foot of spine. The clasps of the catches are gone, and have been replaced by two strips of leather.… Read More

(Geneve, Henricus Stephanus, 1572) 8vo. 3 volumes: vol. 1: (II),579,(1 blank); vol. 2: (2, = p. 581/82), p. 583-1213,(3 blank = p. 1214/16); vol. 3: p. (2 = p. 1217/18),1219-1923,(1 blank). 19th century vellum. 18 cm (Ref: GLN-2438; Renouard 134/35; Brunet 4,733; Hoffmann 3,171; Schweiger 2,258/9; Dibdin 2,336/7; Moss 2,507; Ebert 17406; Not in Graesse) (Details: These three volumes are the volumes 4, 5 & 6 of the 13 volume set 'Plutarchi Chaeronensis quae extant opera', which is the first edition of the complete works of Plutarch published by Henri Estienne in Geneva in 1572. The 3 volumes contain the complete Greek text of 'Ploutarchou tou Chairôneôs Parallêla, ê bioi parallêloi. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Parallela, seu vitae parallela', being tomus primus, secundus and tertius. § Backs gilt with floral motives in 4 compartments. Red morocco shield on the backs. Boards with gilt borders that consist of a long floral wreath of wine leaves. Board… Read More

Paris (Parisiis), Ex officina Adriani Turnebi Typographi Regij, 1552. 12mo. (VIII),1-211,(1) p. 18th century calf 16.5 cm (Ref: Wartelle p. 2. Hoffmann I,32: 'Eine schöne und seltene Ausgabe'. Dibdin 1,237: 'beautifully printed'. Moss 1,7: 'a beautiful edition'. Brunet I, 77. Graesse 1,29. Ebert 180. Gruys p. 31/46; Mund-Dopchie p. 45/83) (Details: Back with 5 raised bands, the compartments with gilt floral motives. Red morocco shield in the second compartment. Triple fillet gilt borders on both boards. Gilt inside dentelles. Bookblock with gilt edges. Marbled endpapers. Woodcut printer's mark on the title) (Condition: Some wear to the extremes of the binding. Some foxing. Marginal repairs in 3 leaves) (Note: The Greek tragedian Aeschylus, 525/4-456 B.C., is the earliest of the surviving tragic playwrights. He 'can be considered the 'inventor' of tragedy as we understand it'. (The Classical Tradition, N.Y., 2010, p. 10) He became an instant classic… Read More