Early Printing & Manuscripts

VIGNOLA, Giacomo Barozzi da. Le due regole della prospettiva pratica. Con i commentarij del Egnatio Danti.
Rome, Francesco Zannetti, 1583. Folio. With a richly engraved architectural title-page by Cherubinus Albertus, 120 woodcut mathematical illustrations and figures in the text explaining perspective, including woodcuts of anamorphoses and 1 full-page woodcut, designed and cut by Danti, 29 engraved plates showing perspective designs, including 8 full-page, by Vignola. Further with a large woodcut printer's device on verso of the last leaf, and some woodcut decorated initials and head pieces. Later gold-tooled half calf and green decorated paper over boards, red and blue sprinkled edges. [1], [1 blank], [10], 145, [5] pp. Full description

VOLDER, Willem de (Guilielmus GNAPHEUS). Acolastus. De filio prodigo comoedia Acolasti titulo inscripta.
Antwerp, Martinus de Keyser for Willem Vorsterman, March 1535. With title in a 4-piece architectural woodcut border.
With:
(2) PLAISIER, Jean le (Johannes PLACENTIUS). Susanna. Eusebii Candidi Elegia, in vanam brevemque humanae vitae gloriolam. Item Ode Sappica eiusdem Eusebii, in mortis recordationem. Item Plausus luctificae mortis ad modum dialogi, expemporaliter ab eodem Eusebio lusus.
(Colophon: Antwerp, Willem Vorsterman), 1536. With title in a woodcut border.
(3) CRÔCUS, Cornelius. Comoedia sacra, cui titulus Joseph, ad Christianae iuventutis institutionem iuxta locos inventionis, veteremque artem, nunc primum & scripta & edita.
Antwerp, Joannes Steelsius, 1537 (colophon: printed by Joannes Graphaeus). With a woodcut decoration on the title-page and Steelsius's woodcut device on the last page.
(4) PLAUTUS. Aulularia Plautina, comoediarum lepidissima. Quae etsi alias incomplete, à Codro Urceo, & Martino Dorpio tamen est perfecta. Cum familiari explanatione. Index dictionum hic insertarum, in calce est additus.
Antwerp, Michiel Hillen van Hoochstraten, 1531. With title in a 4-piece woodcut border.
(5) LUCIANUS Samosatensis. Dialogi aliquot, per D. Erasmi versi, ac à Nicolao Buscoducensi, succinctis pariter & eruditis scholiis explanati, recens per eundem diligenter recogniti.
(Colophon: Antwerp, Michiel Hillen van Hoochstraten, August 1533). With Hillen van Hoochstraten's device on the last page.
(6) SCHOTTEN(NIUS), Hermann(us). Vita honesta, sive virtutis: quomodo quisque vivere debeat, omni aetate, omni tempore, & quotlibet loco, erga Deum & homines. Cui novissime adiecimus Institutionem Christiani hominis, per Adrianum Barlandum Aphorismis digestam. Omnia multo quam antehac emendatiora.
Antwerp, Joannes Steelsius, 1538 (colophon: printed by Joannes Graphaeus).
(7) ERASMUS, Desiderius.De civilitate morum puerilium ... libellus ab autore recognitus, & novis scholiis illustratus per Gisbertum Longolium Ultratraiectinum.
Antwerp, Willem Vorsterman, 1533. Title in a 4-piece woodcut border.
7 works in one volume. Small 8vo (16 x 10.5 cm). Contemporary (ca. 1538) Antwerp panel-stamped calf, each side with the same panel stamp (85 x 55 mm), showing a roundel with a half length portrait of the then reigning Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, the Imperial double-headed eagle stands above the roundel between two small columns and Charles's motto below the roundel (":PLUS:OVLTRE. | .KAROLVS.V.IMP:"), with two 5-pointed stars above it and a lion face with decorations below it; the whole is flanked by decorative columns. Full description

VORAGINE, Jacobus de. Legenda sanctorum al[ia]s Lombardica historia. [= Legenda aurea sanctorum].
[Colophon:] Basel, Nikolaus Kessler, 25 June 1486 Small (Chancery) folio (28.5 x 22 cm). With Kesslers 1485 woodcut armorial device below the colophon (double shield hanging from a branch, the dexter shield with 3 kettle hooks and the sinister shield with a K and cross). Blind-tooled tanned sheepskin (ca. 1870/1900), with a hollow back, sewn on 4 recessed cords but with 5 false bands on the spine, gold-tooled black morocco spine-label in the 2nd compartment and "BASEL 1486" in gold at the foot. [255] ll. Full description

VREDEMAN DE VRIES, Jan (Hans), Antonio LABACCO, Giacomo Barozzio da VIGNOLA and others. [Collection of architectural and decoration prints including fortification plans, garden plans and architectural decoration].
Antwerp, Venice, Rome, various publishers, [engraved] 1561-1585, [printed 1580-ca. 1600]. Large folio & small 1mo (38.5 x 27 cm). Collection of 4 separately published prints (3 large full-sheet & 1 small full-sheet), plus 67 prints from 9 series (including 3 double-page prints and a 1½-sheet plan of classical Roman ports printed from 2 copperplates). Contemporary or near contemporary limp sheepskin parchment (ca. 1600?). [77] engraved ll. containing [71] prints. Full description

[WEYNSEN, Matthias (editor)]. Fascicul[us] mirre. Hier beghint een seer sonderlinghe ende devote materie van die passie ons Heren Jesu Cristi gheheten (dat busselkijn of dat bondekijn van mirre) vergadert ende gecompileert van eenen gheestelijcken ende seer verlichten broeder vander minrebroeders oerden van die familie der observanten in die provincie van Colen ...
(Colophon:) Antwerp, Henrick Eckert van Homberch, 18 January 1518. 4to. With the first word of the title printed in red, 35 woodcut illustrations in the text (of which 8 repeats), with Christ's wounds coloured in red, and 53 decorated woodcut initials. The work is rubricated throughout. 17th-century gold tooled mottled brown calf. [196] ll. Full description

WILDENBERG, Hieronymus (Hieronymus CINGULARIUS). Tersissima latini eloquij Synonymorum collectanea, non modo epistolas, verum etiam carmina cudere volentibus oppido idonea, ex multiiugis & quidem luculentissimis Oratorum tum Poetarum scriptis studiosa recognitione, veluti quaedam progymnasmata eruta, vernaculoque suo ut inventu sint faciliora accommodata, ac denuo secundum Alphabeti seriem deprompta atque concinnata. Annexus est Tractatulus utilissimus de vocum proprietatibus, seu terminorum differentijs.
Magdeburg, Michael Lotter, (ca. 1535). Sm.8vo. Old boards. [75] ll. Full description

WIMPFELING, Jakob (Jacobus WIMPHELINGIUS). Ad Julium. II. Po[n]tifice[m] Max[imum]. Querulosa excusatio Jacobi Wimphelingii ad instantiam fratru[m] Augustine[n]sium ad curiam romana[m] citati: ut propria in persona ibide[m] compareat: proptereaq[ue] scripsit divum Augustinum non fuisse monachum vel fratrem mendicante[m].
[Strasbourg, Jean Prüss the elder, ca. 1507]. 4to (21 x 15 cm). With a large woodcut decorated initial. Set in 2 sizes of roman type with a few words in a large textura gothic type. With the initial coloured brown by an early hand. Boards covered with grey laid paper (1940s?). [7], [1 blank] pp. Full description

[ZACUTO, Abraham Ben Samuel]. Ephemerides sive Almanach perpetuu[m].
(Colophon:) Venice, Petrus Liechtenstein, for Johannes Lucilius Santritter, October 1498. 4to. With a woodcut title page and numerous tables. 20th-century limp vellum, sewn on 2 thin vellum straps laced through the joints, with the manuscript name of the (wrong) author and year of publication on the spine. [122] ll. Full description

ZEHENDTNER VOM ZEHENDTGRÜB, Paul. Ordenliche Beschreibung mit was stattlichen Ceremonien und Zierlichheiten, die Röm. Kay. May. unser aller gnedigster Herr, samt etlich andern Ertzhertzogen, Fürsten und Herrn, den Orden dess Guldin Flüss, in disem [15]85. Jahr zu Prag und Landshüt, empfangen und angenommen.
Dillingen, Johann Mayer, 1587. 4to (20 x 15.5 cm). With title printed in red and black, 7 full-page engraved illustrations (showing the collar (chain) of the Order, the Emperor Rudolf II in his robes and 5 coat-of-arms), and 13 large folding engraved plates showing the splendid ceremonies held at Prague and Landshut, probably all drawn by Anthony Boys. Contemporary gold-tooled tanned sheepskin; rebacked with most of the original backstrip laid down. [1], [1 blank], 155, [1], [2 blank] pp. Full description