Sales catalogue 1: Lathorp C. Harper, Inc.

Date:
1953
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/52/97
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Sales catalogue 1: Lathorp C. Harper, Inc. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    24/92 page 18
    KOBERGER’S TYPOGRAPHICAL MASTERPIECE 20. BOETHIUS. De consolatione philosophiae (LATIN and GERMAN). [With the commentary ascribed to Thomas Aquinas but actually by Thomas Waleys. Translated into German by Peter von Kastel.] 192 leaves, including the first, a blank and genuine; Gothic type, rubricated throughout. Folio, contemporary blind-stamped calf over wooden boards (Viennese binding); rebacked, front hinge cracked. Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, 1473. $575.00 This magnificent volume represents not only THE FIRST PRINTED GERMAN TEXT of Boe- thius’ great work, but actually contains also the earliest dated Latin edition of it. It is pre- ceded only by an undated edition of about 1471 (GKW 4513). From a typographical point of view this is certainly one of the most interesting and at the same time one of the most beautiful books issued from Koberger’s press. The complicated composition of Latin and German text, as well as commentary in both languages, has been masterfully solved. A SPLENDID, LARGE AND COMPLETE Copy. Followed in this volume by an incomplete copy of St. Bernardus’ Epistles (Strassburg: Eggestein, ca. 1475), GKW 3923. Stillwell B-731; GKW 4573; Hain 3398. WITH WOODCUTS BY WOHLGEMUTH 21. BREVIARIUM RATISPONENSE. Pars Hiemalis; [and] Pars Estivalis. Vol. I: 438 leaves, 2 full-page woodcuts; Vol. IT; 416 leaves, 1 full-page woodcut. Goth- ic type, double columns, printed in red and black, red Lombardic capitals. 2 vols., folio, pigskin over wooden boards, richly blind-tooled; metal and leather clasps. Front covers lettered: “Pars Hiemalis” and “Pars Estivalis,” respectively, with the arms of Bishop Rupert below, in black. Bamberg: Johann Pfeyl, 1495. $2,000.00 A splendid copy of one of the most beautiful and rarest liturgical books ever printed. It bears the arms—stamped in black—of Bishop Rupert of Regensburg (fl. 1492-1507) on the well-preserved original bindings, and was doubtless his own copy. He was not only the editor but also the initiator of this monumental edition: THE FIRST TO BE PRINTED IN FOLIO AND THE FIRST TO BE ADORNED WITH THE SPLENDID WOODCUTS BY WOHLGEMUTH. (See note in GKW 5435, col. 431; and Schottenloher, Regensburg, p. 81.) The full-page wood- cut appearing in each volume represents SS. Peter, Paul and Wolfgang, with Bishop Rupert kneeling. Muther (666) describes this woodcut as follows: “Die Gesichter sind vorzuglich durchgefiihrt, die Gewander grossartig behandelt. Der Holzschnitt kann als Gegenstiick zum Gott Vater in der Chronik (Nuremberg Chronicle) gelten.” The second very fine large woodcut appears in Vol. I and represents a calendar with the sun in the center, dated 1490. Pal eal
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3