Asher Rare Books

The definitive edition of an anthology of classical and Humanist anecdotes

BARLANDUS, Adrianus. Jocorum veterum ac recentium libris tres ... Primae aeditioni nunc adjecti sunt libri duo.
Antwerp, Michiel Hillen van Hoochstraten for (colophon:) Gregorius de Bonte, 1529. 8vo. With a woodcut decorated frame on the title page, and several woodcut initials throughout. 18th-century mottled calf. [64] ll. Full description

€ 2,750

Caricature & Satire Classical Antiquity Early Printing - 16th century Erasmus Greek & Roman Classics Humanism & Reformation Philosophy & Humanism

One of the first Dutch humanists on the history of his country, with beautiful woodcuts by Jost Amman

BARLANDUS, Hadrianus. Hollandiae comitum historia et icones: Cum selectis scholijs ad lectoris lucem. Eiusdem Barlandi Caroli Burgundiae ducis vita. Item Ultraiectensium episcoporum catalogus & res gestae. Eiusdem argumenti libellus Gerardo Noviomago auctore.
Frankfurt am Main, Johann Wechel for Sigmund Feyerabend, 1585. 2 parts in 1 volume. 8vo. With a woodcut portrait of Gertrude of Saxony (repeated on p. 25) on the title page, a woodcut printer's device of Feyerabend ('Fama') on the divisional title page of part 2, a variant of his printer's device on the verso of the last page, 37 half-page woodcut portraits (all except the first three with their coats-of-arms and small ornamental woodcuts underneath), several decorated woodcut initials, and head- and tail pieces.
With: IDEM. Traiectensium episcoporum catalogus et eorum res gestae. Contemporary overlapping limp vellum. [16], "393" [=391], [1 blank]; 109, [1], [2 blank] pp. Full description

€ 950

Catholicism & Eastern Orthodox Church Early Printing - 16th century Genealogy, Heraldry & Flags Holland Philosophy & Humanism Religion (16th Century) Zeeland

A Huguenot critique of kingship

[BARNAUD, Nicolas]. Le miroir des Francois, compris en trois livres. contenant l'estat et maniement des affaires de France ... Et generalement tous les secrets qu'on a peu recueillir pour l'ébelissement, & enrichissement du royaume, & soulagement du public. Le tout mis en dialogues par Nicolas De Montand. A la royne regnante.
[Geneva/France?], 1581.
Bound after: (2) [Nicolas BARNAUD], Le cabinet du Roy de France, dans lequel il y a trois perles precieuses d'inestimable valeur: par le moyen desquelles sa maiesté s'en va le premier monarque du monde, et ses suiets du tout soulagez.
[Geneva/France?], 1582. 2 works in 1 volume. 8vo. Ad 1 with some woodcut head- and tailpieces and initials. Ad 2 with a small woodcut initial. Contemporary overlapping vellum. [1], [1 blank], [7], "497" [=495], [1 blank]; [16], 647, [1 blank], [10], [2 blank] pp. Full description

€ 4,000

Caricature & Satire Early Printing - 16th century Humanism & Reformation Religion (16th Century)

Second known copy of the Mons issue of the first edition, the only known Claude Bronchin imprint

BEAUXAMIS, Thomas. In sacro sancta Coenae mysteria, passionem, et resurrectionem domini nostri Jesu, homeliae, & tabulae, annexis quibusdam scholiis, ex primis ecclesiae patribus. Ad amplissimum, & illustrissimum principem carolum cardinalem Lotharingum.
Mons (Belgium), Claude de Bronchin [printed in Paris by Guillaume Chaudière], 1570. 8vo. With Chaudières woodcut device on the title-page (Chronos, with the motto, "hancas iem sol retundit virtus"), a woodcut headpiece, 2 woodcut tailpieces and 2 woodcut initials (from 2 different series). Limp vellum (ca. 1700?). [6], 321, [1] ll. Full description

€ 3,500

Belgium Bibles, Liturgy & Devotional Works Early Printing - 16th century Religion (16th Century)

The pedagogical essentials of the Renaissance collected, together with Greek epistles

[BECH, Philipp (editor)]. De disciplina puerorum, recteque formandis eorum & studiis & moribus, ...
Basel, Joannes Oporinus (colophon: Bern, Samuel Apiarius, March 1556).
With: (2) [MOREL, Guillaume, ed.]. Graecorum veterum selectae brevesque epistolae.
Paris, Guillaume Morel, King's printer for Greek, 1562. With a remarkable woodcut device on the title-page. With the Greek text set in Claude Garamont's famous Grec du Roi and the Latin translation set in his Aldine-style italic. 2 works in 1 volume. 8vo (15 x 10 x 4.5 cm). Richly gold-tooled tanned sheepskin (ca. 1700), gilt edges. 31, [21]; [16], "840" [= 804] pp. Full description

€ 12,500

Aldine Press Bindings Classical Antiquity Early Printing - 16th century Education & Pedagogy Greek & Roman Classics

Azevedo-Samodães copy of the rare first Portuguese edition of a classic biography of Thomas à Becket

[BECKET, Thomas à (subject)]. [Diego Afonso de MIRANDA, translator]. Historea da vida e martyrio do glorioso Sancto Thomas Arcebispo, Senhor de Cantuaria, Primas de Inglaterra, legado perpetuo da sancta see apostolica, trelada da novamente de Latim em lingoagé Portugues.
(Colophon: Coimbra, João Alvarez, printer to the University, 12 November) 1554. 4to. With several woodcut decorated initials. With the 4 preliminary leaves in facsimile. 20th-century Portuguese tree calf, gold-tooled spine, red spine label, brown sprinkled edges, marbled endpapers. [8], “CCCI” [= 303], [1 blank], [20] pp. Full description

€ 7,500

Bibliography & Biography Church History & Missions Portugal Religion (16th Century) UK - United Kingdom

First edition of one of the most important natural history books of the Renaissance

BELON, Pierre. L'Histoire de la nature des oyseaux, avec leurs descriptions, & naifs portaicts retirez du naturel: escrite en sept livres.
Paris, Guillaume Cavellat (colophon: printed by Benoit Prévost), 1555. 7 parts in 1 volume. Folio. With a woodcut portrait on the back of the title page (apparently of the dedicatee King Henri II, though copied in other books as a portrait of the author), large woodcuts of the skeletons of a man and a bird on pp. 40-41, plus 158 woodcuts (157 birds, 1 bat) in the text. Contemporary blind- and gold-tooled calf (rebacked, with the original backstrip laid down). [28], 381, [1], [2 blank] pp. Full description

€ 29,500

Birds - Ornithology Early Printing - 16th century

Belon's account of his extensive travels in the Levant, with 44 woodcut illustrations

BELON, Pierre. Les observations de plusieurs singularitez et choses memorables, trouvées en Grece, Asie, Judée, Egypte, Arabie et autres pays estranges.
Paris, Guillaume Cavellat (colophon: printed by Benoist Prévost for Gilles Corozet, Guillaume Cavellat), 1555. 3 parts in 1 volume. 4to. With title in woodcut border with Cavellet's device and initials at the foot, each part-title with Cavellet's woodcut device, 1 folding woodcut map (31.5 x 35 cm) showing Mount Sinai, 44 woodcuts in the text (including a portrait of the author by Geoffroy Tory), and numerous fine decorated initials. Overlapping vellum (ca. 1600?). [12], 212, [1] ll. Full description

€ 12,500

Balkan & Greece Early Printing - 16th century Eastern Mediterranean & Cyprus Egypt Faunas & General Zoology Iran / Persia North Africa Travel & Voyages Africa Travel & Voyages Asia Travel & Voyages Europe Turkey & Ottoman Empire

First Latin edition, printed by Plantin, of Belon's illutrated oriental travel account, with 43 woodcuts

BELON, Pierre. Plurimarum singularium & memorabilium rerum in Graecia, Asia, Aegypto, Judaea, Arabia, aliisq. exteris provinciis ab ipso conspectarum observationes, tribus libris expressae.
(2) BELON, Pierre. De neglecta stirpium cultura, atque earum cognitione libellus: edocens qua ratione silvestres arbores cicurari & mitescere queant. Antwerp, Christoffel Plantin, 1589. 2 works in 1 volume. 8vo. With Plantins woodcut compasses device on each title-page, 43 woodcuts in text (6 full-page), woodcut decorated initials. With an unrecorded 2-page corrigenda leaf. Contemporary overlapping limp vellum. [16], 495, [1 blank]; "78" [= 87], [1 blank], [2] pp. Full description

€ 4,750

Arabian Peninsula & Gulf States Arboriculture & Dendrology Balkan & Greece Early Printing - 16th century Herbals & Medical Botany Mediterranean Regions Travel & Voyages Europe Travel & Voyages Middle East Turkey & Ottoman Empire

Exceptionally rare collection of poetry by an important Italian humanist

BEROALDO, Filippo. Epigra[m]mata: ac ludicra quedam facilioris muse carmina eruditissimi viro Philippi Beroaldi. Ab Afsefio nuper elucidate et eo ordine difpofita vt maxime fint omnium prima, C Ante domum cuius Martini pendet imag Rocius hec vendit pressa Dionysius.
Parijs, Denis Roce, [ca. 1505]. 4to. With a printer's device on the title-page, and 20 decorated woodcut/ metalcut intitials. Later vellum. [30], [1 blank] ll. Full description

€ 3,750

Early Printing - 16th century Italian Literature

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