Nicolaus de Lyra | Praeceptorium, Cologne, 1496, contemporary stamped calf, Hildesheim copy

Nicolaus de Lyra, Thomas a Kempis, Gerard de Zutphania and Bertholdus

A volume of devotional works in a contemporary binding, comprising:

NICOLAUS DE LYRA. Praeceptorium divinae legis et alii tractatus. Antonius Liber: Epigramma in laudem urbis Coloniae. Cologne: Johann Landen, 9 March 1496, 88 leaves, A⁸ B-X⁴, 30 lines plus headline, gothic type, woodcut printer's device on final verso

THOMAS A KEMPIS. Meditationes de vita et beneficiis salvatoris Jesu Christi. [Cologne: Johann Landen, c. 1500], 68 leaves, A-B⁸ C⁴ D-E⁸ F⁴ G-H⁸ I⁴ K⁸, 31 lines, gothic type

GERARDUS DE ZUTPHANIA. De spiritualibus ascensionibus; David de Augusta: De exterioris et interioris hominis compositione Lib. II, 1. Cologne: [Johann Landen, c. 1498], 64 leaves, [aa] bb-cc⁸ dd⁴ ee-hh⁸ ii⁴, 31 lines, gothic type, woodcut of the Virgin and Child on final verso, small stain on gg1

BERTHOLDUS. Horologium devotionis. Cologne: Johann Landen, [c. 1498], 66 leaves, a-g⁸ h¹⁰, 31 lines, gothic type, woodcut and metalcut illustrations, a few small wormholes towards end

4 works in one volume, 8vo (141 x 96mm.), contemporary blind-stamped calf over wooden boards from the St Godehard bindery, Hildesheim [EBDB w000212], later lettering-pieces on spine, single clasp, green and red index tabs, early marginal annotations and manicules in first two works, new endleaves

A charming volume of devotional texts, all printed in Cologne by Landen and often found together; this set was bound in the monastery of St Godehard, Hildesheim, for Abbot Henning.

The illustrations in the Bertholdus were previously used for the first edition of this Latin translation, printed in Cologne by Ulrich Zel in around 1488, which are among the few metalcuts found in fifteenth-century printing.

PROVENANCE:

Benedictine monastery of St Godehard, Hildesheim, inscription on front flyleaf stating the volume was purchased for Abbot Henning (1493-1535); Ampleforth Abbey library, bookplate and ink stamp

LITERATURE:

ISTC in00144000, im00434000, ig00178000, ib00507000