Josephus, Omnia, quae extant, opera, Lyon, 1539, contemporary northern black Italian binding

JOSEPHUS, FLAVIUS. Fl. Josephi omnia quae extant opera. Quorum hic tomus continet antiquitatum Judaicarum libros decem priores. Lyon: Sébastien Gryphe, 1539

This volume originally formed part of a two- or three-volume set. Another volume is lettered V S which suggests that V P is for volumen primum, V S for volumen secundum (the two volumes of the Jewish Antiquities), and V T for volumen tertium (on the assumption that there was a third volume, containing the Jewish War, which was also printed by Gryphe in 1539). The second volume, also inscribed by Bondenti, was in the library of Maurice Burrus.

The tooling on the binding is quite thick, and the figure of Fortuna far larger than other stamps that appear on contemporary bindings. This might indicate that it was made in a provincial bindery, or that it is a slightly later imitation binding.

8vo (177 x 121 mm). Italic type, 31 lines plus headline. Collation: α-ε⁸ ζ⁴ a-z⁸ A-L⁸ M⁴: 320 leaves. Woodcut printer’s device on title-page, woodcut initials. (Some light staining, small wormholes in lower margin, lower corner of K4 torn.)

Binding: Contemporary(?) north Italian dark brown morocco gilt (181 x 131 mm), central gilt double fillet frame with leafy stamps along each side, upper cover with stamps forming a cartouche for the gilt title, IOS|DE ANTIQ|V P, lower cover with a large stamp of Fortuna on a dolphin, outer double frame of blind fillets, blind ruling and hatching on spine, blue/black edges, stubs from two pairs of ties. (Binding somewhat rubbed, cracked and repaired, particularly at ends of joints and spine and edges.)

Provenance: Conte Niccolò Maria Bondenti (died 1723), of Crema, inscription on title-page — Sotheby’s, 20-21 July 1970, lot 498, £40, to — Pierre Berès, catalogue 93 (Paris, 2004), item 37 — Pierre Bergé and Jean-Baptiste de Proyart, Vente Pierre Berès, Paris, 13 December 2006, lot 426. Acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. References: USTC 147665; von Gültlingen V: Gryphe 508