Etymologicum magnum graecum

Super-Royal folio (405 x 275mm.), 224 leaves, Α¹⁰ Β-Ω ΑΑ-ΓΓ⁸ ΔΔ⁶, 50 lines, double column, Greek type, printed in red and black, Byzantine-style 5- and 10-line woodcut initials and headpieces printed in red, woodcut printers' devices at end (of Blastos and Callierges) printed in red, eighteenth-century English red morocco gilt with a Harleian-style outer border, gilt edges, a few early annotations, a few small wormholes, binding slightly rubbed, joints split

Goff E112; HC 6691; BMC v 580; Bod-inc E-034; GW 9426; Legrand I, 23; Sander 7710

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A fine copy of this elegant Greek book, the first printed Greek dictionary and the first book from the exclusively Greek press of Zacharias Callierges. He produced four books in 1499 and 1500, and then reappeared in 1509 producing Greek Orthodox liturgical works, before moving to Rome in 1514 to print classical texts (for his Pindar of 1515, see lot 223). For this first press, Callierges had the backing of Blastos, a fellow Cretan and a stationer, and Anna Notaras, the daugher of a Byzantine nobleman who had settled in Venice and provided the funds for the press.