Bonifacius VIII, Sextus Decretalium Liber, Paris, 1541, contemporary calf gilt

BONIFACIUS VIII. Sextus decretalium, per Bonifacium octavum pontificem in concilio Lugdunensi aeditus: iam recens ex antiquissimis exemplaribus adamussim castigatus. Paris: Claude Chevallon, 1537 [bound with:]

[SCHUSSENRIED, WERNER VON] Modus legend abbreviaturas passim in utroque iure occurrentes, nunc demum integritati suae restitutus. Paris: Charlotte Guillard, 1541

A volume of canon law in a binding with an unidentified dolphin stamp. The presence of dolphins and a crown has led to the supposition of a French royal provenance, the letters FD perhaps referring to the Dauphin François (the future François II, 1544-1560), though this is a relatively simple binding. Other bindings from this date are recorded with a similar dolphin, either singly or in pairs (for François and his wife Mary, queen of Scots?), and often crowned.

2 works in one volume, 8vo (166 x 107 mm). (1) Roman type, 48 lines plus headline. Collation: aa a-z A-D⁸: 224 leaves. Woodcut printer’s device on title-page, woodcut initials. (2) Roman type, 48 lines plus headline. collation: a-d⁸ e⁴: 36 leaves. (Slight marginal staining at beginning and towards end.)

Binding: Contemporary calf gilt (172 x 118 mm), covers with frame of blind fillets with gilt corner fleuron, central gilt stamp of a crowned baton surmounted by a crown with a dolphin on each side, and a small star and sun stamp above (on the upper cover the letters F and a D visible over the star and sun), spine with small gilt flower stamped in each compartment, plain edges, title lettered in ink on top of fore-edge, watermark at end of a hand surmounted by a quadrilobe, manuscript notes on lower pastedown. In a modern crushed morocco velvet-lined folding box. (Ends of spine repaired, spine a little creased.)

Provenance: Gossement(?), signature on title-page and final verso — "ex libris S^ti bruzardi(?) 1662", inscription on inside front cover — Librairie Petitot, Paris, acquired in 1938 by — Maurice Burrus (1882-1959), bookplate dated 1937 and note of acquisition at end, his sale, Christie’s, Paris, 15 December 2015, lot 50. Acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. References: BP16 108455 & 110458; USTC 147325 & 153640