Baïf, Annotationes in legem II de captivis, Basel, 1537, contemporary Spanish Mudéjar binding

4to (204 x 142 mm). Roman and Greek type, 32 lines plus headline. collation: a-r⁴ s1-2 s5-6 t-z⁴ A-B⁴ C1 C3-4 D-E⁴ F1-2 F5-6 G-K⁴ L1 L3-4 M⁴ N1-2 N5-6 O⁴ P1-2 P5-6 (A2 misbound after z4, A4 misbound after A1): 150 leaves (only, of 160; lacking s3-4, C2, F3-4, L2, N3-4, P3-4). Woodcut printer's device on title-page, woodcut initials, 30 woodcuts (of 32) and 4 metalwork diagrams, manuscript annotations in an early hand. (Some slight browning, lacking 10 leaves, upper margin of first few leaves repaired, a2 lower half detached, repaired wormholes from F3 to G4 and I1 to end.)

binding: Contemporary Spanish dark brown morocco (206 x 152 mm), tooled in blind in the Mudéjar style, 4 concentric frames with different patterns of interlaced ropework, central panel with leafy cornerpieces, same tool repeated in centre to form cross with 2 finials, spine with 4 bands. (Near-contemporary recasing, new endpapers, spine ends repaired.)

provenance: Sixteenth-century inscription on title-page—Alexander William George Duff (1849–1912), First Duke of Fife 1889–1912, bookplate, his sale, Sotheby's, London, 12 March 1962, lot 286, purchased by—Alan G. Thomas (1911-1992), bookplate on upper pastedown, his sale, Sotheby's, London, 21-22 June 1993, lot 104 (illustrated in catalogue). acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. references: USTC 671791; VD16 B 157; A.L. Humphreys, Catalogue of the Skene Library belonging to His Grace the Duke of Fife at Mar Lodge, Aberdeenshire, 1898, p. 10 (item no.19; this copy)