Valerius Maximus, Paris, 1543, Parisian entrelac binding by Jean Picard

VALERIUS MAXIMUS. Valerius Maximus. Paris: Simon de Colines, 1543

The first or second Colines pocket edition, bound by Jean Picard in a near-identical binding to a 1542 Paris imprint reproduced as Hobson & Culot, no.34 (each tooled in the same motto and sharing a number of the same tools, although the present volume lacks the addition of the contemporary initials "G.B."). The binding was previously attributed to Claude de Picques; see Nixon, Grolier Bindings, Claude de Picques tools no.4 (solid fleuron), no.12 (drooping trefoil), and no.7 (scrollwork).

16mo (117 x 68 mm). Italic type, 28 lines plus headline. Collation: a-z⁸ A-N⁸: 288 leaves. Title-page with woodcut architectural border, ruled in red throughout. (Closed tear extending across b2).

Binding: Parisian "entrelac" binding by Jean Picard (117 x 69 mm), ca. 1543, brown calf, border of 2 gilt fillets enamelled black, in panel an elaborate interlacing strapwork design of a lozenge within 2 concentric rectangles with incurved corners and a centre of 3 interconnected circles arranged vertically, all enamelled black, double-leaved fleuron at corners, open portion enamelled black, gilt leafy tools in interstices of 2 interlaced rectangles, gilt star in upper and lower circles, in central circle title in silver on upper cover and "SPES|MEA|DEVS" on lower cover, spine with 4 full and 2 half bands, gilt leaf in compartments, edges gilt, in half morocco box by Brockman. (Expertly recornered and rebacked retaining original spine).

Provenance: "Ascanius Farina | I.V.D.", ownership inscription to front free endpaper (the same inscription found in a copy of a 1552-53 Venetian imprint at the RA), graduated in jurisprudence from the university of Mondovì in 1681 and mayor of Cuneo during the siege in 1691 — probably Rev. William Danby of Swinton Park, North Riding of Yorkshire, inscriptions dated "12 Sept. 1754" and "29 Nov. 1763" to front free endpaper, by descent to — William II Danby (1752-1833), writer and Gothick enthusiast, bookplate and ownership inscription — Falmouth Borough Council, typed inventory slip to rear pastedown, sale, Sotheby's, London, 3 April 1950, lot 85, bought by Maggs Bros., London, for £4, on behalf of — John Roland Abbey (1894-1969), acquisition number to endleaf "J.A. 4795|3:4:1950", his sale, Sotheby's, London, 19-21 June 1967, lot 2207 (part lot), bought for £60 — Kenneth John Hewett (1919-1994), booklabel to rear pastedown — Patrick King Rare Books, Catalogue 17 (Stony Stratford [1999]), item 52. Acquisition: Purchased in 1999 from Patrick King, Stony Stratford. References: BP16 111458; USTC 206802; Renouard, Bibliographie des éditions de Simon de Colines (Paris 1894), p.387 Reproduced in Anthony Hobson, French and Italian collectors and their bindings illustrated from examples in the library of J.R. Abbey (Oxford 1953), no. 13