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BOOK OF HOURS WITH 42 CHARMING WOODCUTS
ONLY 2 OTHER COPIES LOCATED
[BOOK OF HOURS - DUTCH]. Die poorte oft dore des eewighen levens, inhoudende seer schoone oeffeninghen vanden leven ende lijden ons Heeren Jesu Christi, ghedeelt op elcke[n] dach vander weken met uren ende tijden.
Louvain, Anthonis Maria Bergaigne, 1551 (colophon: 5 March). Small 8vo (15 x 10 cm). With 42 woodcut miniatures in text (each about 5 x 4 cm) and one woodcut initial, all coloured by a contemporary hand. 19th-century tanned half goatskin.
| Orders and Information | € 7500 |
Extremely rare first and only edition (third copy located) of a Dutch-language book of hours, printed by Anthonis Marie de Bergaigne, or Bergagne, in Louvain, who received permission to print it on 10 November 1550 and completed it on 5 March 1551. He was active until about 1562, mainly publishing religious works. The present book contains meditations on the canonical hours of the day. Monday morning starts with a meditation on the Creation, and the work finishes on Sunday night, contemplating Jesus's death. It is set in four sizes of textura type.
With the final leaf G4 lacking, but apparently blank (the colophon appears at the foot of G3v). The foot of the title-page has been restored with the loss of a few words in the imprint. Otherwise in good condition, with the title-page somewhat dirty and quires B and C slightly browned.
