Lot 14
  • 14

Psalter in Greek

Estimate
80,000 - 120,000 USD
bidding is closed

Description

  • [Greek title: Psaltêrion]. Venice: Aldus Manutius [ca. 1496-1498; not after 1 October 1498]
  • paper, ink, leather
Chancery quarto (210 × 138 mm). Collation: 1-88 96 (title, editor’s address, Psalms 1-76, verses in praise of David); 10-198 (Psalms 77-151, Nine Odes, verses in praise of David, quire register, colophon; 19/8v blank): 150 leaves, the quires signed with the Greek alphabet. Greek types (Proctor types 1:146 Gk and 7:114 Gk), printed in black and red (Psalm tituli, versals), woodcut borderpieces including a depiction of King David charming the wild creatures, headpieces, and initials. The Greek title written over in gold ink, a few wormholes in first leaf, the outer border of fo. 3 shaved, last leaf stained. Early nineteenth-century English dark blue straight-grain morocco gilt, marbled endleaves, edges gilt.

Provenance

Edward Herbert, Viscount Clive, later second Earl of Powis (engraved bookplate) — Walter and Phyllis Goodhart (gilt morocco label; Sotheby's London, 9 June 1981, lot 29). acquisition: Purchased at the foregoing sale through Alan G. Thomas

Literature

Formatting the Word of God 5.1; Goff P-1033; Hain 13452; BMC V 563 (IA.24460); BSB-Ink P-850; Bod-inc P-493; Aldine Press (UCLA) 29

Condition

Chancery quarto (210 × 138 mm). Collation: 1-88 96 (title, editor's address, Psalms 1-76, verses in praise of David); 10-198 (Psalms 77-151, Nine Odes, verses in praise of David, quire register, colophon; 19/8v blank): 150 leaves, the quires signed with the Greek alphabet. Greek types (Proctor types 1:146 Gk and 7:114 Gk), printed in black and red (Psalm tituli, versals), woodcut borderpieces including a depiction of King David charming the wild creatures, headpieces, and initials. The Greek title written over in gold ink, a few wormholes in first leaf, the outer border of fo. 3 shaved, last leaf stained. Early nineteenth-century English dark blue straight-grain morocco gilt, marbled endleaves, edges gilt.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Catalogue Note

Third edition of the Psalter in Greek, with the standard “Nine Odes” (Canticles), edited by Justinus Decadyus. It was preceded by the 1481 Milan Greek-Latin Psalter of Bonus Accursius (Goff P-1035), and the 1486 Venice edition of Laonicus and Alexander of Crete (Goff P-1034), whose Greek press was very short-lived. Of the editor Decadyus virtually nothing is known. His prefatory letter is addressed to the Greeks in Hellas, although it is uncertain whether copies were successfully exported there. On 9/1r (iota 1r) the compositor omitted a line of text at the top of the page. In this copy, as in most, the missing line is supplied in manuscript, here in the hand of Aldus Manutius. In a smaller number of copies the error was noticed in-press, and the first and most of the second line of setting were removed and replaced by setting the required text in Aldus’s smaller Greek font. The “not after” date is documented by the edition’s appearance on Aldus’s broadside list of LIBRI GRAECI IMPRESSI of that date.

With special thanks to Dr. Geri Della Rocca de Candal for his expertise.