Plinius, Historia mundi, Basel, 1525, later German calf

PLINIUS SECUNDUS, GAIUS

[Naturalis historia] Historia mundi [edited by Erasmus] (Index in universum naturalis historiae). Basel: Johann Froben, March 1525

folio (355 x 230mm.), woodcut device on title-pages and final verso of first part, woodcut initials, all mentions of Froben crossed through, eighteenth-century German calf, spine tooled in black with two stamped paper lettering-pieces, blue edges, lacking final leaf containing device only, binding slightly rubbed, sticky tape across foot of each cover (to hold a now-removed shelf label at foot of spine)

The first Froben edition, edited by Erasmus (with his preferred title for the book, Historia mundi), and based on Ermolao Barbaro's text. The substantial index was based on the one produced in 1514 by Johannes Camers.

LITERATURE:

VD16 P 3533

PROVENANCE:

Jesuits of Empoli, inscription on title-page dated 1563; Library of the Astronomical Institute of the University of Munster, obscured ink stamps on title-page and fol. 345