Poetae Christiani veteres, Venice, Aldo Manuzio, January 1501, contemporary limp vellum

Poetae Christiani veteres. Quae hoc libro continentur. Sedulii mirabilium diuinoru[m] libri quatuor carmine heroico. Eiusdem Elegia, in qua finis pentametri est similis principio hexametri. Eiusde[m] Hymnus de Christo ab incarnatione, usq[ue] ad asce[n]sione[m]. Iuuenci de Euangelica historia libri quatuor. Aratoris cardinalis Historiae apostolicae libri duo. Probae Falconiae Ce[n]to ex Vergilio de nouo & ueteri testame[n]to. Homerocentra, hoc est centones ex Homero graece cum interpretatione latina. Opusculum ad annu[n]tiationem beatiss. Virginis graece cum latino in medio quaternionum omnium. Lactantii Firmiani de Resurrectione Elegia … Cyprianus De ligno crucis uersu heroico. Thipherni Deprecatoria ad virginem elegia … Sancti Damasi De laudibus Pauli apostoli apostoli uersus hexametri … Vita S. Martini episcopi a Seuero Sulpitio prosa oratione … Vita S. Nicolai egraeco in latinum a Leonardo Iustiniano patritio Veneto. Venice: Aldo Manuzio, January 1501

Second volume only. The Liechtenstein copy. With the first appearance of the anchor and dolphin device.

4to (230 x 160 mm). Roman and Greek type, 36 lines plus headline. collation: π⁸ a-c⁸ d⁴ e-i⁸ k¹⁰ aa-dd⁸ ee⁶ ff-gg⁸ hh⁶ A-F⁸ G⁴ H-I⁸ K⁴ aaaaaa^8.8 bbbbββ10.8 γγcccc^8.8 δδdddd^8.10 εεeeee^4.4 (εε4 a blank): 294 leaves. Woodcut Aldine device on π8, early marginalia. (Some signatures transposed but complete, scattered foxing and staining.)

binding: Contemporary limp vellum (245 x 172 mm), traces of two pairs of ties, uncut. (Some wear and soiling, text block nearly detached.)

provenance: Inscription, possibly "Dominicii S. Jouii," crossed out on title — inscription "Presb. Gabrielis de Salehis" on title

— Liechtenstein, family library (Vienna), ex libris — Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein (1906-1989); Hanns Bohatta, Katalog der in den Bibliotheken der regierenden Linie des fürstlichen Hauses von und zu Liechtenstein befindlichen Bücher aus dem XVI.-XX. Jahrhundert (1931), no. 28,965 — probably H.P. Kraus, Incunabula & post-incunabula, 1466-1520, item 288 (offering Vol. I [see lot 1330] in German pigskin; Vol. II "contemporary vellum, uncut … Some signatures are transposed, but the copy is complete") — Sir Peter Henry Berry Otway Smithers (1913-2006), his single owner sequence, Sotheby's London, 5-6 February 1973, lot 118 (part: offered with lot 1330) — Francis Edwards, London, purchased in previous sale. acquisition: Purchased from Francis Edwards, London, 1973. references: UCLA 38 (58.5A for Vol. II); Renouard 24/1; Edit16 36115; USTC 851458