Alexander de Ales, Super universae theologiae, Venice, 1475, contemporary Germanic pigskin binding

Alexander de Ales

Summa universae theologiae (i.e. Super tertium librum sententiarum Petri Lombardi). Venice: Johannes de Colonia and Johannes Manthen, 1475

Chancery folio (303 x 208mm.), 380 leaves, a–c¹⁰ d⁸ e–g¹⁰ h⁸ i–q¹⁰ r⁶ s–u¹⁰ x y⁸ z aa¹⁰ bb⁸ cc¹⁰ dd⁸ ee¹⁰ ff¹² gg–mm¹⁰ nn⁸ oo pp¹⁰ qq [*]⁸, double column, 50-52 lines, gothic type, red and blue initials, red paraphs and underlining, manuscript questio numbers added in margins, early annotations in red and brown ink, stubs from alum-tawed index tabs, a few deckle edges, contemporary stamped pigskin over square wooden boards [Kyriss 154], two clasps, title lettered along foot of textblock "3 p[ar]s allexandri de ales", manuscript fragments in binding (see footnote), a few wormholes in text and binding

A LARGE CRISP COPY IN A CONTEMPORARY BINDING. The binding is nigh on identical to one recorded by Kyriss on plate 310 (in Stuttgart LB); he called the bindery Kopf-Stempel I, dated to c. 1473-1497. Einbanddatenbank now assigns this bindery to Ingolstadt.

The manuscript strips in the binding are from a Sacramentary or Missal in Latin [perhaps from a monastery in the Tyrol, or a neighbouring region, 12th century], a horizontal fragment of a bifolium from a decorated manuscript written in a fine formal bookhand, with initials and rubrics in orange, preserving parts of masses for Lent.

LITERATURE:

ISTC ia00385000

PROVENANCE:

Wolfgang Crener (died 1510), contemporary armorial manuscript bookplate; washed library stamp at start of text of the Fundatio Baldaufica of Hall in Tyrol (several of Crener's books went to this library, founded by Florian Waldauf in 1509)