Thriveris, Varia apophthegmata, Lyon, 1549; Leonico Tomeo, De varia historia, Lyon, 1555, Parisian tan calf for G.F. Madruzzo

THRIVERIS, JÉRÉMIE. Hieremiae Thriveri Brachelii varia apophthegmata. Lyon: Godefroy and Marcellin Béringen, 1549 [bound with:]

LEONICO TOMEO, NICCOLÒ. Nicolai Leonici Thomaei De varia historia libri tres. Cum eorum, quae notatu digna sunt, indice locupletissimo. Lyon: Sébastien Gryphe, 1555

Another fine binding made for Gian Federico Madruzzo, on a small format medical text printed in Lyon, and one of eight books from his library in this sale. For a full description of Madruzzo and his books, see Bibliotheca Brookeriana I, 11 October 2023, lot 12, another small format Lyon imprint with the same armorial and similar spine decoration. Madruzzo was imprisoned in the Château de Vincennes in the 1550s and he and his fellow prisoners collected books to occupy their time. Unusually for bindings at this time, this volume has the date of binding stamped at the foot of the spine, which also occurs on other volumes bound for Madruzzo. He also owned another copy of the second work, bound for him in 1569 or later.

2 works in one volume, 16mo (123 x 68 mm). Roman type, 29 lines plus headline. collation: (1) a-h⁸: 64 leaves. Woodcut printer's device on title-page, woodcut initials. (2) a-z⁸ A-C⁸: 208 leaves. Woodcut printer's device on title-page, woodcut initials. Ruled in red. (Occasional light browning, first title slightly stained.)

Binding: Contemporary Parisian tan calf gilt (127 x 79 mm), central gilt and painted arms of Gian Federico Madruzzo, arabesque cornerpieces, within a triple gilt fillet frame, spine with small round arabesque stamp in compartments and the date 1556 stamped at foot, edges gilt and gauffered to a leafy design. (Extremities slightly rubbed, joints weak, lower joint cracking, repairs to spine.)

Provenance: Gian Federico Madruzzo (153?-1586), arms on binding — "Ex libris Jo[hann]is Vuillien sacerdot[is]", inscription on first title — library of a Capuchin convent, stamps on titles with initials M.B.P. and S.M.N. NP. — Hector Marie Auguste de Backer (1843-1925), sale, part II, Fernand Lair-Dubreuil & Librairie Giraud-Badin, Paris, 28-31 March 1927, lot 3029 — Henri, comte Chandon de Briailles (1898-1953), bookplates, sale, Maurice Rheims and Jacqueline Vidal-Mégret, Paris, 2-3 December 1954, lot 175 — Jean Fürstenberg (1890-1982), red morocco gilt booklabel, bequeathed to Fondation Fürstenberg-Beaumesnil, sale, Wemaëre, de Beaupuis, Denesle, Binoche et Giquello, Paris, 9 December 2013, lot 162. Acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. References: USTC 157856 & 151769; von Gültlingen X: Béringen 52 & V: Gryphe 1339