Ambrosius, Opera, Basel, Amerbach, 1492, 3 volumes, later vellum, from the Carthusians of Monte Bracco

Ambrosius

Opera [edited by Johann Amerbach and Johannes (Heynlin) de Lapide]. Basel: Johann Amerbach, 1492

3 volumes, Chancery folio (291 x 202mm.), 268 & 293 (of 302) & 290 leaves, part I: a–d^8.6 e f A–C⁶; ²a–d^8.6 e⁴ f⁸ g h⁶ i⁸ k⁶ l m⁸; ³a–d^8.6 e⁶ f⁸ g⁴ h⁶ i–o^8.6 p q⁶ r⁴ s⁸ t¹⁰; part II: a–m^8.6 n⁶; ²a–m^8.6; ³a b–r^8.6 s⁸; part III: a–k^8.6 l–o⁶; ²a⁸ b⁶ c–h⁸ i I k⁶ l–n⁸; ³a–d^8.6 e f⁶; ⁴a–f^8.6 g¹⁰, mostly double column, 52 lines plus headline, roman and gothic type, woodcut by the Meister des Haintz Narr depicting Ambrosius writing in his study, later vellum, spines gilt in compartments with calf lettering-pieces (vols 1 & 3 with new spines tooled to match vol.2), lacking r6 and quire s⁸ in volume 2, volume 2 stained, [3]b2 in vol.2 torn at foot without loss, volume 3 with occasional light staining, small wormhole at start, stain on I1, new endpapers in volume 3

The collected works of St Ambrosius formed part of Amerbach's programme to produce authoritative editions of the Church Fathers. The woodcut of Ambrosius in his study was historically attributed to Albrecht Dürer but is now assigned to the Meister des Haintz Narr, an artist active in Basel who also produced many of the woodcuts for Sebastian Brant's Narrenschiff.

LITERATURE:

ISTC ia00551000

PROVENANCE:

Carthusians of San Salvatore, Monte Bracco (Saluzzo), early inscriptions on first leaf of vols 1 and 3