FINE BOOK # 4 Aesopus semper vivus - Peter Bichsel · Fine Books

A E S O P U S S E M P E R V I V U S
Collection of 117 Aesopian fables compiled by the French scholar Jean Baudoin (1590–1650)
with his life of Aesop. Baudoin’s collection was first published in 1631 in Paris. The Brussels
editions like the present contain a different series of illustrations from the earlier Paris editions.
Pieter van der Borcht (1545–1608) worked for the famous Plantin printers in Antwerp. – Landwehr
90 (erroneously calls for frontisp. + 148 engr.); cf. Bodemann 67. 3; Fabula docet 12 (both
listing the 1682 ed.). – Frontispiece with ms. date in white margin. Slight browning throughout.
Some dampstain to upper margin of the last leaves.
6 CAUSE. – La Fontaine, (Jean de). Fables choisies mises en
vers. 12 books in 6 parts in 1 vol. Title in red and black. With engr. frontispiece by Romeyn
de Hooghe and 220 (of 235) engr. illus. by Hendrik Cause. (38), 123 pp. (lacking
pp. 1–6, 11–16, 97/98, and 2 unn. pp. of index); (2) pp., pp. 141–268 (lacking pp.
219/20, 233/34), (2) pp.; 117 (lacking pp. 1/2, 49–64), (3) pp.; (2) pp., pp. 119–233, (3)
pp.; (8), 108, (2) pp. Small 8vo. 19th-century half calf, spine gilt (recent end-papers).
The Hague, Henry van Bulderen, 1700. CHF 950.– (EUR 630.–)
Second edition of La Fontaine’s fables with the famous copper illus. by the Antwerp engraver
Hendrik Cause (1648–1699), pupil of Richard Collin, and with the engr. frontispiece by R. de
Hooghe (or: de Hooch; 1645–1708) showing a satyr with pan-pipe and terrestrial globe. This second
edition, the only one revised by the author himself, was first published in 1688 (parts I to
IV) and 1694 (part V). Hendrik Cause produced the plates after the illustrations by François
Chauveau in the Paris first edition. But soon Cause’s series became famous in its own right and
is considered to be the best of all Chauveau adaptations. The present copy is the The Hague reissue
of the year 1700 (parts I to IV) with part V from the original 1794 The Hague edition which
is designated «livre VII» instead of «livre VI».Although being an incomplete copy, it gives a valuable
impression of the intrinsic quality and value of Cause’s illustrations. – Bodemann 77. 4
(part V) and 77. 8 (parts I–IV); Fabula docet 48 (2nd vol. only); Landwehr 194. – Frontispiece
with minor portion torn off at lower inner margin. Some minor marginal tears and few pencil traces.
Few spots, no browning or foxing.
7 PHAEDRUS. – Hoogstraten, David Franz van, ed. and
transl. Phaedri FabularumAesopiarum Libri V … in usum serenissimi principis Nassauii.
Title printed in red and black. With engr. figurative frontispiece by Boutats after
Goerée, folding portrait by P. van Gunst after B. Vaillant, 18 engr. plates by Jan van
Vianen, each showing 6 emblematic medallions, many engr. initials, head- and tailpieces,
and engr. title-vignette. (16) leaves (incl. frontispiece and title), 160 pp., (42)
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