Lot 65
  • 65

Gerson, Jean

Estimate
5,000 - 7,000 GBP
bidding is closed

Description

  • Gerson, Jean
  • Opera. A composite set of three volumes, the first two in uniform bindings, comprising:
  • Paper
Pars prima. Basel: Nicolaus Kesler, 12 March 1489, Chancery folio (310 x 212mm.), 46+188 leaves, index: 18 26 3-68; text: a8 b-m6 n-o8 p-v6.8 w6 x-z [et] [con] [tur]6.8 [rum]8, double column, 56 lines plus headline, gothic type, full-page woodcut on verso of title-page, 6- to 9-line initials in blue with red penwork decoration, 4-line initials in red or blue, with printed guides, red paraphs and initial-strokes, index tabs of pink tawed skin, contemporary Netherlandish blind-tooled calf over wooden boards, covers tooled with blind fillets to a diaper pattern with small 4- and 5-petalled flower tools, the lower cover with a simpler design and a ?griffin stamp, retaining original vellum endleaves, [Goff G187; HC 7624; BMC iii 767; GW 10715]

Secunda pars. Strassburg: Martin Flach, 13 December 1494, Chancery folio (303 x 205mm.), 258 leaves, A8 B-Z aA-fF8.6 gG-hH8 iI6 kK-nN8, double column, 53 lines plus headlines, gothic type, full-page woodcut on verso of title-page, 6- to 9-line initials in blue with red penwork decoration, 4-line initials in red or blue, some with printed guides, red paraphs and initial-strokes, index tabs of pink tawed skin, contemporary Netherlandish blind-tooled calf over wooden boards, covers tooled with blind fillets to a diaper pattern with two small 4-petalled flower tools, retaining original vellum endleaves at front (new vellum endleaves at back), [Goff G189; HC 7625; BMC i 152; Bod-inc G-088; GW 10717], small wormhole in last 3 leaves



Tercia pars. Strassburg: Martin Flach, 11 August 1494, Chancery folio (293 x 197mm.), 359 leaves (of 360, without final blank), aa-hh8.6 ii-kk8 ll6 mm-nn8 oo6 pp-qq8 rr6 ss8 tt6 vv-xx8 yy6 zz-Aa8 Bb6 Cc-Dd8 Ee6 Ff8 Gg-Hh6 Ii8 Kk6 Ll8 Mm6 Nn-Oo8 Pp6 Qq8 Rr6 Ss-Tt8 Vv6 Xx-Zz8 AA-DD6.8, double column, 53 lines plus headline, gothic type, full-page woodcut (a repeat of the one in volume 2) on verso of title-page, short piece of woodcut music on Gg2v, 2- to 5-line initials in red and silver, late sixteenth-century German (Augsburg?) blind-tooled calf over wooden boards, central panel stamps and roll-tooled foliate borders, first two quires repaired at head of gutter, small paper flaw in kk7 with loss of a letter, without the inventorium



3 volumes, all rebacked in calf with gilt lettering, all with two clasps, in modern brown buckram folding boxes, fragments of old (but not original) spines loose in each box, calf slightly delaminating, bindings rebacked with a few small repairs, lacking straps

Provenance

Augustinian convent of Sint-Agnietenberg (near Zwolle), of the Windesheim congregation, neat early inscription on verso of second vellum flyleaf, above the manuscript title of the book; donated by Henricus [--?] of Elborch (Elburg?), a brother of the congregration, early inscription on first vellum flyleaf, in volume I; early inscription of Sint-Agnietenberg on inside front cover of volume II (partly erased); Law Society, armorial bookplates

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

The monastic houses of the Windesheim congregation all had their own binderies; the bindery at Sint-Agnietenberg used stamps lettered Augustinus, Maria or Agnes, though none of these appear on these two bindings so they cannot be securely attributed to their bindery (see Goldschmidt, Gothic and Renaissance Bookbindings, 1967, p. 11). For other Windesheim books, see lots 46 and 132.