Hulsius, XII primorum Caesarum ex antiquis numismatibus, Frankfurt, 1597, vellum with arms of Haunolt of Silesia

Hulsius, Levinus. XII. primorum Caesarum et LXIIII ipsorum uxorum et parentum ex antiquis numismatibus, in aere incisae, effigies: atque eorundem earundemque vitae et res gestae, ex variis authoribus collectae per Levinum Hulsium. Frankfurt am Main: Johann Kollitz for Paul Bratchfeld, 1597

First edition of Hulsius's biographies of the Roman emperors and their wives, illustrated with the portraits from coins. This copy shows close reading by an early and knowledgeable owner, with underlining and annotations correcting and expanding the text, including a long passage about the silver denarius of Titus with the dolphin and anchor (p. 186).

4to (200 x 155 mm). Roman type, 31 lines plus headline. collation: A-Cc⁴: 102 leaves. Title within engraved border, woodcut initials, engraved illustrations, manuscript annotations. 

binding: Contemporary limp vellum (205 x 166 mm), tooled in (oxidised) gold, central arms of Nikolaus Haunolt within a lozenge-shaped cartouche, flat spine with small stamp and manuscript title, edges gilt and gauffered, stubs from two pairs of silk ties. (Binding somewhat rubbed and soiled, a shorter work extracted from the end of the volume resulting in slight deformity of the spine.)

provenance: Nikolaus Haunolt or Haunold (1556-1622, of Breslau/Wroclaw, secretary to the Holy Roman Emperor, who also served as secretary at the imperial embassy in Constantinople), arms on binding, and (probably) his motto on flyleaf, "In silentio & spe" — "Thomae Ingrano"(?), early inscription at foot of title-page — note about woodcuts on flyleaf initialled R.W. — library stamp on title-page of the Fürstenberg Hofbibliothek, Donaueschingen, on title-page — Reiss & Sohn, Königstein im Taunus, sale, 21-24 October 2003, lot 709. acquisition: Purchased in 2004 from Maggs Bros, London. references: Dekesel H35; VD16 H 5875