Lot 45
  • 45

Guillermus

Estimate
9,000 - 10,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Postilla super epistolas et evangelia. [Lyon: Nicolaus Philippi and Marcus Reinhart, c. 1482]
  • Paper
Chancery folio (308 x 207mm.), 110 leaves, a10 b-g8 h-i6 A-E8, double column, 54 lines, gothic type, woodcut illustrations including a full-page illustration of the Crucifixion on verso of a2 and 54 column-width woodcuts, 3-line initial spaces, modern vellum gilt tooled in period style, a few early annotations, some deckle edges, small insktain on f5v, g4-5 and i3-4 and final quire lightly foxed

Literature

Goff G659; C 2864; GW 11985; cf. Schreiber 4145 (another Philippi and Reinhard edition); F.R. Goff, "The Postilla of Guillermus Parisiensis", Gutenberg-Jahrbuch 1959, 73-78, no.41 (listed as [sine nota])

ISTC lists five copies of this edition, two of which are imperfect.

Condition

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."

Catalogue Note

A large crisp copy. The text was originally composed in 1437 by Frater Guillermus, a Dominican teaching theology in Paris. It was published in more than one hundred editions across Europe between 1473 and 1500, and the editions are often distinguished by the date from the birth of Christ given in the section "Aliud evangelium de virginibus... Matt. xxv", which here is given as 1480 (i5v). Philippi and Reinhard published this text twice in 1482, once undated, as here, and one dated (Goff G677), and these were the first editions to contain illustrations. The dated 1482 edition did not contain the preface by Guillermus which is present here on a1.

The smaller woodcuts are based on those from the Plenarium published in Strassburg by Martin Schott in 1481 (GW M34135).