Asher Rare Books

Two Greek classics on hunting and fishing printed by Raphelengius in Leiden

OPPIAN of Anazarbus and OPPIAN of Syria (C. RITTERSHUSIUS, translator). Oppiani poetae Cilicis de venatione libri IV. De piscatu libri V.
Leiden, Franciscus Raphelengius, 1597. 2 parts in 1 volume. 8vo. With Raphelengius' (Plantin's) printer's device on the title-page, decorated woodcut initials, and the text is partially set in Greek script. Late 18th-century gold-tooled red morocco. [1], [1 blank], [86], 376, [32]; [8], 344, 164, [3], [1 blank] pp. Full description

€ 2,500

Classical Antiquity Early Printing - 16th century Falconry, Fishing & Hunting Greek & Non-Western Types Greek & Roman Classics

Wonderful compilation on fishing with contemporary manuscript notes

OPPIAN of Anazarbus and OPPIAN of Syria (C. RITTERSHUSIUS, translator). Oppiani poetae Cilicis de venatione libri IV. De piscatu libri V.
Leiden, Fransiscus Raphelengium (Officina Plantiniana), 1597. 8vo. With Raphelengiuss woodcut compasses device on the title-page, an arabesque woodcut tailpies (plus repeats) and woodcut decorated initials. Near contemporary (1602) calf with the elaborately blind-tooled coat of arms and monogram of Johann Beckmann "I B M 1602", with later gold tooling and a red morocco spine label lettered in gold, red edges, modern endpapers. [88], 376, [40], 344 pp. Full description

€ 2,750

Balkan & Greece Birds - Ornithology Early Printing - 16th century Falconry, Fishing & Hunting Greek & Non-Western Types Greek & Roman Classics

Horblit-copy of an important early description of the nocturnal astronomical instrument and its use, with the extremely rare woodblock-printed dials and pointers to construct the nocturnal and sundial-lunar dial

PADOVANI, Giovanni. Opera nuova ... tradotta di Latino in volgare, laqual dichiara luso del maraviglio so istrumento astronomico da lui intitulato horoscopio. ...
Verona, Paolo Ravagnano, 1560. 4to. With Ravagnanos woodcut emblematic device on the title-page (a hand emerging from a cloud and holding a stalk with three lilies, the whole in an oval in a rectangular scrollwork cartouche, with the motto, "candidio animus"), a folding plate (oblong long folio: 15.5 x 41.5 cm) containing 2 woodcuts (12.5 x 22 cm & 12 cm diameter with the 4.5 cm gnomen making it 14 x 13 cm) designed to be cut up to make the authors "horoscopio" in the form of a volvelle and the sundial-lunar dial, 3 decorated woodcut initials (pictorial), planetary and zodiac signs, and numerous tables of numerical data. 19th-century(?) boards, covered with block-printed decorated paper (black on white). [46], [2 blank] pp. Full description

€ 12,500

Astronomy & Cosmography Early Printing - 16th century Italy

German edition of one of the earliest works on perspective and optics, with 44 new geometric and perspective woodcuts

PECKHAM, John and Georg HARTMANN. Perspectiva communis. Ideo sic dicta, quod contineat elementa tès optigès, omnibus philosophiae studiosis necessaria.
Nürnberg, Johan Petreius, 1542. Small 4to (18 x 15 cm). With 44 woodcut diagrams in text. Modern boards. [55] ll. Full description

€ 9,000

Early Printing - 16th century Mathematics Optics & Perspective

Praised edition of Pliny's "Natural history", with sections on pearl fishery in the Middle East

PLINIUS SECUNDUS, Gaius (PLINY the Elder). Historiarum naturae libri XXXVII, post omnes omnium editiones, ...
Paris, Jean Parvum (index: Jean Petit), 1532. Folio. 18th-century cat's paw calf, richly gold-tooled spine. [36], 671, [188] pp. Full description

€ 4,500

Earth Sciences Expeditions & General Natural History Geology Iran / Persia Mineralogy & Gems

Pliny's Natural history, annotated by the Italian scholar Hermolaus Barberus

PLINIUS SECUNDUS, Gaius. Opus divinum, cui titulus historiae naturalis, multoqua[m] antehac unqua[m] prodiit in luce[m] castigatius, una cu[m] annotationibus Hermanolai Barbari ...
Paris, Jean Petit (colophon: Nicolaus Sauetier), 1526. 2 parts in 1 volume (bound in reverse order). Folio. With title-page to the main work (bound second) printed in red and black and title-page to the index (bound first), each in a four-piece woodcut border. Contemporary or near contemporary calf, with the boards richly blind-tooled in a panel design; rebacked with part of the original backstrip laid down. [188], [34], "CCCCCXXXVI" [= CCCCCXXXVIII] pp. Full description

€ 18,000

Arabian Peninsula & Gulf States Astronomy & Cosmography Early Printing - 16th century Faunas & General Zoology Geology Greek & Roman Classics Herbals & Medical Botany Iran / Persia Mineralogy & Gems

Best fish illustrations for centuries

SALVIANI, Ippolito (Hippolito). Aquatilium animalium historiae, liber primus [all published], cum eorumdem formis, aere excusis.
Rome, Hippolito Salviani, 1554 (colophon: January 1558). Folio. With an engraved title-page and 98 figures on 81 full-page engravings (plate size 33 x 22.5 cm) printed on integral leaves, a Salviani's woodcut device on the last page, and about 100 decorated pictorial woodcut initials (2 series) including repeats. Recased in 18th-century(?) sheepskin parchment. [8], 256 ll. Full description

€ 19,500

Amphibians & Reptiles Early Printing - 16th century Fishes

"An entertaining book on the evil consequences of excessive hunting"

SPANGENBERG, Cyriacus. Jagteuffel. Bestendiger und Wolgegründter bericht, wie ferrn die Jagten rechtmessig und zugelassen. Und widerumb, warinn sie ... gottloss, gewaltsam, unrecht und verdamlich seind, ...
(Colophon: Frankfurt am Main, heirs of Georg Raben and Weygand Hanen), 1566. 8vo. With the title-page printed in red and black and with a woodcut illustration. 18th-century vellum. 132 ll. Full description

€ 2,650

Early Printing - 16th century Falconry, Fishing & Hunting

The oldest book of prophecies in French, finely bound ca. 1745,
from the collections of William Beckford, Hyppolyte Destailleur and Stanislas de Guaita

[TELESFORO DA COSENZA]. Livre merveilleux, contenant en bref la fleur et substance de plusieurs traittez, tant des propheties & revelations, qu'anciennes croniques, faisant mention de tous les faictz de l'Eglise Universelle, co[m]me des scismes, discords & tribulations advenir en l'Eglise de Rome, & d'un temps auquel on ostera & tollira aux ge[n]s d'eglise & clergé, ...
Paris, Thibault Bessault, 1565. 8vo. With Bessault's woodcut device on the title-page. 18th-century French grained red morocco (ca. 1745?), gold-tooled spine with pointillé ornaments, each board framed with thin-thick-thin fillets with a rosette(?) stamped over their intersections at the corners, gold-tooled turn-ins, gold fillets on the board edges, gilt edges. [54] ll. Full description

€ 12,500

Astrology & Occult Bindings Church History & Missions Early Printing - 16th century

First edition in the original Greek of the oldest treatise on spherical geometry

THEODOSIUS. Sphaericorum libri tres, nunquam antehac graece excusi.
Paris, André Wechel, 1558. Small 4to (21 x 14 cm). With woodcut publisher's Pegasus device on title-page (repeated on last page), numerous woodcut mathematical diagrams in text, woodcut headpieces and decorated initials. 18th-century tanned sheepskin, gold-tooled spine and board edges. [8], 54, [2], 70, [2] pp. Full description

€ 9,500

Arabic Printing & Calligraphy Astronomy & Cosmography Early Printing - 16th century Greek & Roman Classics Mathematics Science

43 books found / Show all

Advanced Search

Early Printing & Manuscripts / Natural History & Science