Bernard de Montméja | Ludi latrunculorum brevis descriptio, Paris, 1560, the Robert Blass copy

Bernard de Montméja

Two works, comprising:

Ludi latrunculorum brevis descriptio. Paris: Fédéric Morel, 1560. 4to (212 x 150 mm), woodcut device to title-page, ruled in red throughout, modern paper wrappers, some light spotting and browning to endleaves

[with:]

Kurzer Abriß des Schachspiels von B. Mommeianus aus Toulouse, gewidmet dem M. Virellus aus Marseille in Wiener Schach-Zeitung. Vienna: A. Lewit, May 1927. 32 pages (240 x 166 mm), wrappers, text occasionally faded, covers defective and loosely inserted

Ludus latrunculorum was a two-player board game resembling chess or draughts played throughout the Roman Empire. Though multiple attempts have been made to decode the rules of ludus latrunculorum, a lack of sources means that we can only conspire about its gameplay. It is presumed that the game was played on an 8x8 board, and involved capturing the other player's soldiers — whoever captures the most, wins.

The game is referred to in Ruy López de Segura's Libro de la invencion liberal y arte del juego del axedrez (see lot 42), and Phildor's Analysis of the Game of Chess (see lot 56).

PROVENANCE:

Dr Robert Blass, Zurich, inkstamp to wrappers, not in the 1992 Christie's sale of his library

LITERATURE:

USTC 152956 (listing 8 institutional copies)