Description

Lactantius (Lucius Coelius Firmianus) Opera, collation: [*12 a-l10 m8 n-q10 r12 s-v10 x8], 215 ff. (of 220, lacking initial and final blank and ff. *12, 167, 213), 38 lines, Roman and some Greek type, 9 gilt opening initials with interlaced white vines on pink, blue and green and gilt and pen bezants, the first of which ornately decorated in margins and with arms at foot, other initials and paragraph-marks in red or blue, early ink marginalia in several hands (some trimmed), lower margins towards end with small wormhole (diminishing in size, with a few repaired), some staining and spotting, handsome 19th century richly gilt and blind-stamped russia, spine faded, rubbed at extremities, g.e., folio (299 x 211mm.), Rome, Conradus Sweynheym and Arnoldus Pannartz, 1468.

⁂ The second book to be printed in Rome, and the first Roman edition of Lactantius. It includes Lactantius's poem on the phoenix, together with extracts from Ovid's Metamorphoses and Dante's Commedia on the same subject (Dante's earliest appearance in print).

Provenance: Bernardinus Martinengus, 'at present living in Cyprus' (inscription recording gift to:) Stephanus de Perarie, a Dominican professor of theology; another hand notes that the gift was made at Nicosia on 3 'Madii' [?March? or May?], 1482, 'after lunch'; Salomon Crubelerius, minister in holy orders, recording the gift to him of the book by 'the noble Lord of Malmont, doctor of laws' (inscription dated 27 March, 1612); J. H. Burn, March, 1931 (book label).

Literature: BMC IV, 4; Goff L-2; GW M16542; HC 9807*; Bod-inc L-003; BSB-Ink L-3; ISTC il00002000.

Description

Lactantius (Lucius Coelius Firmianus) Opera, collation: [*12 a-l10 m8 n-q10 r12 s-v10 x8], 215 ff. (of 220, lacking initial and final blank and ff. *12, 167, 213), 38 lines, Roman and some Greek type, 9 gilt opening initials with interlaced white vines on pink, blue and green and gilt and pen bezants, the first of which ornately decorated in margins and with arms at foot, other initials and paragraph-marks in red or blue, early ink marginalia in several hands (some trimmed), lower margins towards end with small wormhole (diminishing in size, with a few repaired), some staining and spotting, handsome 19th century richly gilt and blind-stamped russia, spine faded, rubbed at extremities, g.e., folio (299 x 211mm.), Rome, Conradus Sweynheym and Arnoldus Pannartz, 1468.

⁂ The second book to be printed in Rome, and the first Roman edition of Lactantius. It includes Lactantius's poem on the phoenix, together with extracts from Ovid's Metamorphoses and Dante's Commedia on the same subject (Dante's earliest appearance in print).

Provenance: Bernardinus Martinengus, 'at present living in Cyprus' (inscription recording gift to:) Stephanus de Perarie, a Dominican professor of theology; another hand notes that the gift was made at Nicosia on 3 'Madii' [?March? or May?], 1482, 'after lunch'; Salomon Crubelerius, minister in holy orders, recording the gift to him of the book by 'the noble Lord of Malmont, doctor of laws' (inscription dated 27 March, 1612); J. H. Burn, March, 1931 (book label).

Literature: BMC IV, 4; Goff L-2; GW M16542; HC 9807*; Bod-inc L-003; BSB-Ink L-3; ISTC il00002000.

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