70G Desiderius Erasmus d. 1536
Lingua, per Des. Erasmum Roterodamum : cui accessit Plutarchi Chaero nei De immodica verecundia libellus.
Lyon; Gryphius1538. $ 2,275
Octavo a-p8;a8, B4. This copy has been recently rebound in handsome full modern calfskin, without decoration.
The “Lingua” is a treatise on the power of the human tongue for good and for evil. It is the work of one of the most famous characters of the Renaissance. It was published at about the time that Luther’s “Table Talk” was published, the same time that Erasmus made his final break with the Reformation movement and decided to attempt a reform of the roman catholic church from the inside. Although this work seems to have been printed in 1525 (according to Adams) it was not produced by Froben, who was Erasmus’ printer until this 1526 edition. The book belongs to the series of widespread and widely used textbooks, with which Erasmus gave shape to the educational program of a Christian humanism. This program included, among other things, the fact that linguistic education must go hand in hand with moral education. In the same way, Erasmus gives numerous examples of the right use or misuse of language in moral terms, based on ancient and biblical history. Vander Haeghen, I, 117; Baudrier VIII, 116; not with Bezzel.
971G Nikolas Herman(n)
Ain mandat Jhesu Chirsti [sic], an alle seyne getrewen Christen/ in welchem er auff gebewt allen so jm inn der tauff verhaissen vñ geschworen haben dz sy, das verlorne schloss (den glauben) an seyn wort dem teüfel widerumb abgwinnen sollen. Gezogen ausz der hayligen geschrifft
[Augsburg] : [Melchior Ramminger],1524 $3,200
Quarto A-B4 (B4 blank) One of about 10 prints in the year of the first edition. bound in limp marbel paper.
Nikolaus Herman(n)s most successful writing and one of the most frequently printed flyers of the Reformation period. At first anonymous, it was at first thought to be Luther’s writing. Hermann’s later significance is mainly due to his contributions to the development of the Protestant church member. In this ‘mandate of Jesus’ the literary form of the heavenly letter is used for the purposes of the Reformation for the first time. The mandate comes directly from Jesus and evokes the medieval fiefdom with Jesus as a hereditary prince, to whom all the baptized by their baptism have paid homage. The Evangelist Matthew appears as chancellor, Paul as chief man. All are summoned to recapture the castle lost to the devil (the Gospel falsified by the Papists). Kuczynski 1006; VD 16 H 2390; vgl. NDB 8, 628
972G Thomas STÖR
Von dem Cristlichen Weingarten, wie den die geystlichen hymel Böck, durch jre erdichte triegerey vnd menschen fünd, verwüstet vnd zu nicht gemacht haben, auch wie der selbig durch verkündung hailsamer Euangelischer leer, widerumb fruchtbar zumachen sey
(Augsburg, H. Steiner, 1524) $3,000
Quarto A-F4 (24) One of three prints the same year (each with different colations) Bound in modern boards First edition of a polemical pamphlet which compares the church to a desolated vineyard to be restored through proper Christian teachings. The most comprehensive text of this Protestant layman. In order to make the devastated species of the Lord fruitful again, the uneducated and impious preachers and parishioners of a phony pharisaic change must be removed from the preaching office. In their place the churches are “menner aines christlichen lebens, und hailsamer leer (zu) verordnen”.. Correspondingly, in the first part, Scripture contains a massive criticism of the old clergy, the “evil gardeners” .
Kocher-Benzing 153, 117.
September 12, 2017 at 5:20 PM
Dear James Gray,
I just explored your nice homepage and offers – great books.
I’m a german scientist and private collector of rare books – but I’m a small bulb, not a bright star 🙂 and when I have time and money I catch them mostly from german auctioneers.
Nevertheless I own nice copies of Clavius (Venice 1603), Cardanus (Henricpetri 1543), Descartes (Elzevir), s.Gravesande, Furttenbach (1663), Snellius (Saurii 1596), Blebelius, Borelli, Galenus (a Giunta print 1625), Heister, Hoffmann, an early release of Karl Schwarzschild’s Ph.D. thesis, Lavoisier, Chronicon Carionis, printed 1543 via Brobachii, Kircher’s first publication (Magnes, Cologne edition 1643), Plinius, Rohault, Miscellanea Curiosa, Savonarola (HenricPetri 1563), Nostradamus. Last year I celebrated the arrival of the 1760 “Jesuit” edition of Newton’s Principia (three pretty vellum volumes). And so on.
I own some nice annual volumes of the London, Edinburgh and Dublin Philosophical Magazine, the early years 1832 up to 1863 or so, bound for the Yorkshire Phil. Soc. Library bearing the golden York label at calf spine – I would pay anything to get more of this rare series. They contain publications of Bunsen, Faraday, Maxwell and so on. One of those copies I own are offered e.g. at Manhattan Rare Books for up to 3000 Dollars. Here in Germany I got them for less than 100 Euros per volume – and they are complete. This is the gradient between US and Europe I try to understand, of course with less insight to the secrets of market. There are many other examples in my shelfs.
I produced a short experimental clip / video of my library and I started to write quarterly bulletins in which I try to describe a rare book within one page – the socalled “Bulletin of The Urban Library”, of course I cannot share those effects of my mad passion with friends. Do you know the lovely book from Umberto Eco – “the art of loving books”?
If you want, I can send you the latest release of my bulletin, Fall 2017.
It makes me happy to see in overseas there are very interesting activities concerning rare books like your page and some month ago I recognized the “Linda Hall Library” via web. I was astonished about such a good collection based on private foundation.
Kind regards, Helfried
Prof. Dr. Helfried Urban, Germany