CONTINENTAL BOOKS CATALOGUE 1448 - Maggs Bros. Ltd.

27 ERDMANN (ChRISTIAN) ie [FORNER (FRIEDRICh)
Relatio historico-paraenetica, de sacrosanctis, Sacri Romani Imperii, reliquiis,
et ornamentis, quibus Romanorum Caesares, inaugurari, coronari, solennique
ritu investiri conseverunt, aliisque sacris Lipsanis, in Imperiali Thesauro
collectis, ac Norimbergae asservatis... [Nuremberg, np], 1629.
Title within woodcut decorative border, final
leaf with large woodcut headpiece and
emblematic printer’s device.
4to (192 x 150mm) [3]ff 76pp [1]f. Later cream paper
boards (somewhat soiled). £1,200
First And only edition and the copy of the
Nuremberg polymath Christoph Gottlieb von
Murr (1733-1811). Murr wrote on many artrelated
subjects and published an important work
on the art and library treasures of Nuremberg and
Altdorf in both public and private collections,
Beschreibung der vornehmsten Merkwürdigkeiten
in des HR Reichs freyen Stadt Nürnburg (1778).
Friedrich Förner’s (1568-1630) work is a study
of the greater part of the imperial regalia
(Reichskleinodien), known as the ‘Nürnberger
Kleinodien’ which included the imperial crown,
orb, sceptre and sword and the so-called ‘Holy
Lance’ thought to have pierced Christ’s side.
Although Nuremberg was now a Protestant city,
the Catholic author argues for the continued
presence there of the treasure and relics, discusses
the local traditions associated with it, as well as
its history and journey to the city. The regalia
remained in Nuremberg from 1424 to 1796 when,
together with the Aachen regalia, it was removed
to the Schatzkammer in the Hofburg Palace,
Vienna, where it remains today.
Provenance: Inscribed ‘Rariss’ and ‘de Murr’
on title-page, ie Christoph Gottlieb von Murr
(1733-1811). Stamp on front pastedown of
‘Bibliothek Schloss Miltenberg’ (Bavaria).
VD17 23:235105M (one of two variants, each
with a different colophon leaf). OCLC: outside
Germany only British Library, Cambridge,
Paris BN and University of Minnesota.
28 EUSEBIUS pAMphILI, Bp OF CAESARIA Chronico[n]. Paris,
Henri Estienne, 30 October 1518.
Woodcut title-border, printed in red and black
throughout, some Greek letter, criblé initials.
4to (233 x 165mm) [20], 175 [ie 173]ff [1]f (blank).
17th-century mottled calf, spine gilt in compartments
(head of spine and joints restored) £1,600
second henri estienne edition, following his
first of 1512 when the Chronological Tables were
extended to include the years 1482-1512.
Eusebius’ Tables, arranged in parallel columns
illustrating the history of the world year by year,
end during the year 329 and the continuations are
by St Jerome (to 381), Prosper Aquitanus (to 448),
Matteo Palmieri (to 1449), Mattia Palmieri (to
1481) and Joannes Multivallis (to 1512).
Mattia Palmieri under 1457 refers to the
invention of printing, ascribed to Johann
Gutenberg in 1440: ‘Namque a Joanne Gutenberg
Zuniungen equiti Maguntiae rheni solerti ingenio
librorum Imprimendorum ratio 1440 inventa’.
The account goes on to say how printing had
extended over almost the whole world, and that
the whole of antiquity was to be bought with a
little money and would be read by our descendants
in innumerable volumes.
‘For the period covered by Multivallis, more
space is given to an account of the arrival of
seven savages at Rouen in 1509 than to any
other event (leaf Y4v; generally thought to be
Brazilians from this reference)’ (Mortimer).
They could also have been Canadian aboriginals
brought back from his 1508 voyage to the New
World by Thomas Albert, the Dieppe pilot.
Pencil notes and old catalogue cutting on
endpapers. One or two small wormholes only
occasionally affecting a letter.
Renouard Estienne, p20-21, no 9 Mortimer I,
no 217. Schreiber 28 cf Sabin 23114 and
Harrisse 71, add 43 & 54.
38 39