Seneca, Tragoediae septum, Paris, 1563, Parisian citron morocco richly gilt

SENECA, LUCIUS ANNAEUS. L. Annei Senecae Cordubensis Tragoediae septem. Nunc primum quam diligentissimè ex variorum codicum collatione, castigatae. Paris: Jérôme de Marnef, 1563

This binding is very similar to Howard Nixon, Sixteenth-century gold-tooled bookbindings in the Pierpont Morgan Library (New York 1971), no. 44, a Prudentius volume also printed in Paris by Marnef, in 1562. Nixon does not name the workshop, but describes it as "a Paris shop at which in the mid-1560s bindings were produce for Grolier, Mahieu, De Thou and Charles IX among others" (p.173).

16mo (120 x 80 mm). Roman and italic type, 28 lines plus headline.Collation: A-Z⁸ Aa-Ee⁸: 224 leaves. Woodcut printer's device on title-page and final verso, woodcut initials. (Occasional light ink stains, slight browning, tear to foot of N5-6.)

Binding: Parisian citron morocco (124 x 86 mm), richly gilt and tooled to a pre-fanfare pattern of entrelacs and azured tools, flat spine tooled to a continuous pattern of similar decoration, incorporating the title in 2 lines, gilt edges. In a modern collector's box. (Foot of spine and corners renewed, joints cracking.)

Provenance: Possibly Thomas Powell (17th-century), oval armorial bookplate with initials T.P. and "Gwell Angau Neu Chivilydd" (Better Death than Dishonour), motto of his wife Elizabeth's family — Alfred Maria Fortunatus von Oberndorff (1870-1963), sale, Sotheby & Co., Catalogue of the collection of valuable printed books, manuscripts and fine bindings, the property of Count A. Oberndorff, London, 6 July 1955, lot 165 — Pierre Berès (1913-2008), Catalogue 57: Livres et manuscrits XIIIe-XVIe siècles (Paris 1957), item 313 — Pierre Bergé & Jean-Baptiste de Proyart, Vente Pierre Berès, Paris, 16 December 2005, lot 216. Acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. References: USTC 139333