Aristotle | Problemata, Venice, Aldus, 1497, later vellum

Aristotle.

Aristotle, Problemata. [Venice, Aldus, 1 June 1497]

(ii) Aristotle, Problemata

(iii) Alexander Aphrodisiensis, Problemata

(iv) Aristotle, Mechanica

(v) Aristotle & Theophrastus, Metaphysica

Part of volume 4 only (of 5), in 4 sections (ii, iii, iv, v), super-chancery folio (312 x 224 mm), Greek type, 30 lines plus headline, 290 leaves (of 292 for these sections), (ii) AAAaaa-MMMmmm⁸ NNNnnn-ΞΞΞooo¹⁰ (iii) α.a- γ.c⁸ δ.d1-3 δ.d6-8 ε.e¹⁰  (iv) a.α-b.β⁶ (v) AAAααα-OOOξξξ⁸ PPPooo¹⁰ (colophon leaf laid down), woodcut initials and ornaments, later vellum over boards, red marbled edges, head-edge stained, lacking δ.d4-5 of (iii), light browning and spotting to some leaves, light dampstaining to head of textblock, small repaired marginal wormhole to first leaf, leaf αa1 with 3 small repaired tears slightly affecting text, 20 mm ink stain to 𝛿d1 affecting a few letters, leaf PPPooo8 reattached at lower inner margin, final leaf laid down with some loss, upper board becoming detached with vellum split, lower joint cracking towards head

This text is part of the fourth volume of Aldus’ five-volume set of Aristotle’s Opera, published between 1495 and 1498. The full set contains works by other authors, including Galen, Philo Judaeus, Theophrastus and Alexander Aphrodisaeus. Volumes I, II, III and V are found in full as lot 95 (see this lot for further information about the set) and other parts of volume IV as lots 96 and 97.

This copy is lacking the first section of the fourth volume, containing Theophrastus’ De historia plantarum etc. This section is found in full as lot 96.

PROVENANCE:

Inscriptions to first leaf “Sozoreli cyprij” (likely Giovanni Sozomeno, cavaliere Cipriotto, was "custode" of the Biblioteca Marciana, Venice, 1610-1633) and “Ex ????”; Henry Probasco (1820–1902), bookplate dated 1 December 1890; Niels Hansen Christensen, sale, Sotheby's Park Bernet, New York, 28 November 1978, lot 415 (part lot).

LITERATURE:

ISTC ia00959000 (all 5 volumes); GW 02334; Henry Probasco, Catalogue of the collection of books, manuscripts, and works of art, belonging to Mr. Henry Probasco (Cambridge, MA 1873), p.12 (this copy)