FERNANDO DE PULGAR, CLAROS VARONES, SEVILLE, STANISLAUS POLONUS, 24 APRIL 1500, LATER VELLUM

4to (195 x 137mm.), 76 leaves (of 90), a-k8 l10, 31 lines plus foliation, gothic type, title within a woodcut border with a woodcut illustration of the author presenting the book to Queen Isabella, 5- and 10-line woodcut initials, woodcut printer's device on final verso, old reused limp vellum, lacking d8, quire e8, f1-3 and g1-2 (all supplied in facsimile), title-page repaired at foredge, long wormholes in text repaired with some words supplied in facsimile

Don Pedro de --, partly erased inscription on title-page; Vicente Ponz, inscription at end dated 15 May 1642, and the date Saturday 21 December 1641 beneath the colophon

HC 13593; IBE 4817; Martín Abad P-210; GW M36619; Palau 242114

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."

RARE. ISTC lists only 3 copies, all of which are located in Madrid. Polonus also issued this text a month earlier, on 24 April, where the text additionally contained some dedicatory verses to Queen Isabella by Iñigo de Mendoza at the end, which are not present in this edition.  Pulgar (1436-c. 1492) was a Spanish humanist converso. He became historiographer to Isabella of Castille and Leon and this work of literary portraits of the famous men of Castille was first published in 1486. It begins with Henry IV and includes counts and cardinals.

For another work printed by Polonus, see lot 160. He subsequently moved to Alcalá and printed there from 1502, and his Seville press was then run by Jacob Cromberger.