•  NSTC 0356417.   Early 20th-century half blue morocco and blue cloth, leather edges with gilt rule, spines with particularly graceful gilt-stamped title and compartment decorations; spines slightly sunned, extremities rubbed. Front fly-leaves each with decorative ownership rubber-stamp. A scattered few light smudges to margins, pages otherwise clean.  (33151)

•  Recent quarter calf and marbled paper–covered sides, spine with gilt-stamped leather title and author labels. Frontispiece lacking and pages showing light cockling; clean and attractive.  (21114)

Some copies have a frontispiece but not this one. Of the nine copies we trace to U.S. libraries, we know that at least two lack the frontispiece, but others may also. We have checked the OPAC records for the other seven but because all seven are clearly copy cataloguing we have to wonder about their accuracy.

Binding:  20th-century half dark green crushed morocco with marbled paper sides in a swirl pattern and top edge gilt, signed “Alfred Farez” who was active 1909 to ca. 1930. Unidentified owner's gilt monogram at base of spine. Binding signed “Alfred Farez” who was active 1909 to ca. 1930.

•  Sabin 58530; Streit, Bibliotheca missionum, III, 932; Palau 56514; Maggs, Bibliotheca Americana, I, 887.   Bound as above with old “wall paper” wrappers bound in. Title-page with a very little light soiling and one other leaf with a single spot likewise light; text notably clean and with good margins. A very good copy.  (34707)

WorldCat locates only six U.S. libraries reporting ownership.

•  Medina, Mexico, 8139; Palau 317550.   Original plain wrappers, front one lacking. Light dust-soiling. Very good copy.  (28210)

Surrounding the black-letter type of the title-page is an elaborate single-element woodcut frame incorporating columns, urns, vines, and mythical figures. The text is printed in an interesting roman type with a number of modified gothic capitals. Some initial spaces with guide letters are found in the section of soliloquies.

Provenance:  From the Mercantile Library of Philadelphia (properly deaccessioned).

Searches of NUC and WorldCat fail to find any Canadian or U.S. library reporting ownership of this edition.

•  Adams I200; VD16 I381.   Recent full calf in old, plain style of the era; round spine, raised bands, blind tooling on cover and spine with red morocco spine label lettered in gilt. Faint stamps of a 19th-century library on the blank versos of the title-page and the final leaf. Remnants of tabs at outer margins, and one margin with an old repair where a tab was pulled away with some paper. Some dust-soiling and spotting. An attractive copy.  (36741)

Of this Mexico City reprinting WorldCat locatesno copies in the U.S., one in Mexico and one in Britain. The copy recorded in the Sutro printed catalogue is not listed in the Sutro OPAC.

•  Sutro p. 242.   Old folds. Evidence of having been folded and bound in an 8vo volume; a portion of the inner margin excised to allow for that folding and binding-in. Very good.  (35856)

The work was originally written in Latin: This English translation is probably byWilliam Caxton, and is based in part on the French translation of Jean de Vignay.

Provenance:  The Pacific School of Religion (properly released).

•  STC(rev. ed.) 24880; ESTC S111988.   Loosely laid into marbled wrappers; leaves browned and dust-soiled, upper margin of first leaf crumpled and with a short tear. Paper good and woodcut charming.  (36088)

Uncommon: ESTC, OCLC, and NUC Pre-1956 find only 9 U.S. holdings.

•  ESTC S107911; STC (2nd ed.) 14831.   Period-style calf framed and panelled in gilt fillets with gilt-stamped corner fleurons; spine gilt extra with gilt-stamped leather title and author labels. Lacks initial blank leaf, as is the case with virtually all copies. Two leaves with tattered outer edges, one leaf with small hole affecting a few letters; pages with some moderate offsetting, a few browned.  (25084)

The text, in Latin and Greek, is divided into two sections: a preface in 15 short chapters, and the main text. The former is printed in roman and italic with nice woodcut head- and tailpieces, and one historiated woodcut initial. Sidenotes, footnotes, and woodcut ornaments like those in the former section enhance the main text, which is printed double column in parallel Latin and Greek, with two handsome engraved initials on the first page below a finely engraved vignette by J. B. Guélard (fl. ca. 1730) after a drawing by A. Humblot (fl. ca. 1740). The title-page, printed in red and black, has an engraved device by [Nicolas-Jean-Baptiste] de Poilly (1707–80). This copy also has a half-title page.

•  Brunet, III, 623 (“Bonne édition”); Graesse, III, 515; NCE 8: 94–95 and online (St. Justin Martyr).   Contemporary treed calf triple-ruled in blind on covers, spine gilt extra with author and title gilt to red morocco spine label, board edges with gilt double-rule, marbled endpapers in a stone pattern and matching marbled edges, emerald green ribbon place holder. Upper joint starting with volume strong despite this and its large size; boards scuffed, corners bumped and rubbed revealing boards; stains on pastedowns and endpapers from underlying turn-ins of the binding. Light foxing in a few places, thumbsoiling, and occasional small stains; one leaf with a corner torn away, another with a natural paper flaw, a few leaves creased. A good copy of avery imposing book.  (30647)

•  Bibliography of the Fine Books Published by the Limited Editions Club, 182.   Publisher's quarter canvas and light blue paper–covered sides, front covers stamped with globe and ship vignette in black and gold, spines stamped in black, gilt, and red, in original slipcase; slipcase showing light shelfwear with mild sunning to spine, volumes with spines darkened, otherwise crisp and clean. One leaf in vol. I with lower outer corner creased. A nice set.  (36799)

This is the first appearance of this commentary byXystus Betuleius (Sixt Birk, 1501–54), a corrector for the Basel printers and a teacher at various schools who composed German and Latin didactic dramas; commentaries on Lactantius (this) and Cicero; and a concordance of the Greek New Testament. An associate of Erasmus, he witnessed Erasmus's first will, in 1527.

•  Adams L27; VD16 L42; Graesse, IV, 66. Not in Schweiger or Brunet. On Lactantius, see: New Catholic Encyclopedia, VIII, 308–09. On Birk, see: Contemporaries of Erasmus, pp. 150–51.   Recent full brown morocco blind-ruled, old style; raised bands on spine accented with gilt ruling, author and title gilt in second compartment and date collector style at spine base, edges lightly speckled brown. Mild foxing on some leaves; limited, very light old waterstaining in latter half, this rising on a few leaves to “moderate” and being virtually all marginal; a few small stains from chemical reactions in paper. One marginal oxidized inkstain, slim but dark, offset onto next neighboring pages (only); two very small tears in last leaf. There is one short paragraph of contemporary inked marginalia on one leaf, and one instance of underlining on another.  (31312)

The document is addressed to the fourth provincial council, called by Archbishop Lorenzana, and is a plea on behalf of the nuns to not change how things are done and administered in the nunnery, to not introduce innovations.

Guatemalan by birth, Guevara (d. 1804) studied civil and canonical jurisprudence at the Tridentine Seminary in Mexico, where he graduated from the university and became a lawyer at the royal court. One ofthe leading lawyers in Mexico, he ascended quickly to high office, and was appointed governor in absence of the viceroy four times; according to Beristain, he was called the “American Ulpian” (after the Roman jurist) by at least one contemporary.

•  Palau 129542; Medina, Mexico, 5451; Beristain, II, p. 61.   Recent marbled paper over boards, title and author gilt on green leather spine label, new endpapers. Short, shallow instance of insect gnawing at fore-edge of first ten leaves and very limited, minor worming throughout along with mild to moderate mostly marginal speckles of foxing; light waterstaining at fore-edge of some pages and occasional inkstains or smudges; one corner of textblock bumped or “creased across” (with no tearing) and another corner just bumped. A copy not “fine” but definitely worth having.  (31197)

Provenance: Charles Spencer, Third Earl of Sunderland, lot 7230 in the Sunderland Library sale (1882).

•  On Lamy, see: New Catholic Encyclopedia, VIII, 354–55. 18th-century vellum over boards with raised bands, lightly soiled; on the covers an ornate mandorla inside a composite frame. Crack in the vellum along front joint, joint itself sound. Ex-library with paper labels on spine; old pressure-stamps, including one on title-page of vol. I. Upper outer corner of title-leaf lost taking part of one letter of title; small tear into printed border of first map in vol. II. All edges speckled blue and red. A stout, substantial volume.

Bound with Lancellotti's work is a summary of titles of chapters of canon law compiled by Thomas Naogeorg (1508–63). Naogeorg's wanderings took him from being a Dominican to being a Lutheran to being a Calvinist. Along the way, during his Lutheran phase, he studied canon law for a year (1551) at Basel, during which time he compiled and published this work, likely as a student's guide. He is better known for his plays, in which he sharply attacks the Papacy.

The two works here were first published by the firm of Guillaume Rouillé, in 1587 and 1588 respectively, and may have been intended to be bound together, as witnessed by the Library of Congress copy. The title-page transcriptions of the earlier editions (except for the date and "hæredes"), and their signatures, pagination, and arrangement, match those of these present 1614 editions. There are italic shouldernotes, and woodcut headpieces and initials.

•  On Lancellotti, see: New Catholic Encyclopedia, VIII, 356. Contemporary calf, covers framed in gilt double fillets, rebacked with calf, spine with gilt-stamped leather title-label and gilt-stamped compartment decorations; corners and edges rubbed, sides with small cracks and scuffs. All edges speckled brown. Bouquiniste's paper label on front pastedown and front free endpaper lacking. Two words inked long ago in two margins, and one page with old pencilled underlining.  (3797)

The work is a classic in the field of early European accounts of China, of missions to and in China, and of travel in general. Thomas Jefferson owned a copy of this edition and may have done so for the work's sections on education in that kingdom.

Provenance:  Signature of M. Middleton dated 1699 at top of the frontispiece. Later in the collection of the Pacific School of Religion (properly released).

•  Wing (rev. ed.) L831; ESTC R15898; Goldsmiths'-Kress 3379; DeBacker-Sommervogel, II, 1356; Cordier, Bibliotheca Sinica, I, 40.   Contemporary modest Cambridge-style binding of speckled calf; very nicely newly rebacked. Small institutional stamp on title-page and in margin of one other page. A very good copy.  (36372)

Uncommon:  WorldCat and NUC Pre-1956 locate only three U.S. libraries reporting ownership.

•  Saricks, I, 385.   Removed from a nonce volume, title-page with paper shelving label in lower inner corner, pencilled monogram in upper outer corner and that latter corner curled. Pages age-toned with some dust-soiled; last few leaves with crumpled edges or creased/dog-eared corners.  (36788)

A title-page joins the images as part of aleporello enclosed in a petite brass case resembling a book. Joan's likeness appears on the case's front with the words “Jehanne d'Arc” within a frame of fleurs de lis and under the heading “vive labeur.” Some lilies, a sword within a crown, and two fleurs de lis appear on the back below the dates “1412–1431.” A small hole on the spine suggests the work was originally part of a necklace as opposed to simply a decorative collectible.

•  Bronze'y brass lightly dust-stained, barely noticeable wear on folds. A precious little bibliokeepsake.  (36817)

Uncommon: WorldCat and NUC Pre-1956 locate only four U.S. institutional holdings of this first edition.

•  This ed. not in Martin & Walter (cf. IV 2: 8376).   Sewn, never bound; title-page with affixed paper shelving label in lower inner corner, not touching text, and with pencilled monogram in upper outer corner. Page edges untrimmed and somewhat ragged; top edges mostly unopened; dust-soiling to outer leaves and untrimmed edges, with corners of a good many untriummed leaves turned in. A nice copy.  (36785).

Uncommon: WorldCat and NUC Pre-1956 locate only two U.S. institutional holdings.

•  Removed from a nonce volume. Title-page with affixed paper shelving label in lower inner corner and pencilled monogram in upper outer portion. Pages age-toned with a few light spots.  (30814)

The present work deals with the sacrament of penance and the need for the penitent to confess orally and from the heart, to be contrite, and to do penance in order to receive the necessary, priestly absolution.

Provenance:  In the 19th century in the library of the Seminarii Veteris Catholici Amisfurtensis (deaccessioned); from 2000 till 2016 in a private collection.

Searches of NUC and WorldCatfail to locate any copies in U.S. libraries.

•  VD17 23:713687B.   Contemporary vellum over pasteboards. Bound without pastedowns or free endpapers, but with four blank leaves before and after the text block! A clean copy in an interesting anomalous binding style.  (36748)

The number of colonial-era books that have significant or interesting contemporary marginalia is very, very small.

•  Sabin 19696 & 42598; Medina, BHA, 2890; Huth 870; LeClerc 1906; DeBacker-Sommervogel, V, 130.   19th-century quarter vellum with mottled paper sides, lacking map; front hinge cracked with binding yet strong. Margins (with marginalia as above) remarkably UNcropped by the 19th-century binder; a clean, good+++ copy retaining its important marginalia in good state.  (34641)

Title-page printed in black and red with a large woodcut of the royal coat of arms. The main text is printed in dense double-column format in roman type with some italic and embellished with typographic headpieces, large tailpieces, and a scattering of woodcut initials.

Provenance:  19th-century purple stamp of private Mexican collector Jose M. Martinez (on front free endpaper and on binding).

We fail to locate any copy of this edition in the U.S. libraries.

•  Palau 107930.   Recased some time ago in contemporary vellum reused from a different book, but vellum still not really large enough; front hinge (inside) strengthened. Vellum cockled lacking ties, and with bug-spotting; title-page with some small tears and some repairs (on verso); cropping has cost some sidenotes, signature marks, portions of letters in final lines on some pages, and a few last lines on a few pages. Lower outer corner of one leaf torn with loss of text; some closed tears, repaired; lacks the final two leaves of the “tabla.” A few natural paper flaws, some stray spots, some darkening of pages by ink spray; occasional light waterstaining; some lower outer corners at end (in Tabla) tattered/irregular with loss of a few letters on last two leaves. A problematic but solid copy, one that does not “feel,” in “person,” as distressed as its description suggests.  (30638)

•  Palau 108151. Recent neat vellum over light boards, spine lettered in black. Paper cockled with light to moderate waterstaining and small spots of soiling, not impeding legibility. Some marginal chipping with tissue paper repair on front fly- and title-leaf, a few shallow marginal tears elsewhere, and a wormhole in lower inner margin of final 22 leaves and rear fly-leaf; rear fly-leaf with some holing. Overall actually in very good condition.  (8874)