Psalterium graecum | Venice: Aldus, [not after 1 October 1498]

Psalterium graecum

Ψαλτηριον [edited by Justinus Decadyus]. Venice: Aldus, [not after 1 October 1498]

Super-Chancery 4to (210 x 142mm.), 150 leaves, α-θ8 ι6; κ-ν ο-υ8, the first line of text at the head of ι1r supplied in early manuscript (see footnote), 20 lines, Greek type, printed in red and black throughout, woodcut initials and borders (α3 and κ1 with full borders), ruled in black, modern tan leather lettered on upper cover, red edges, first two leaves inlaid with small repairs, a few small marginal repairs, light marginal staining in last few leaves, upper cover detached, extremities slightly rubbed

A good copy of the Aldine Greek Psalter, the third to be printed after the 1481 Milan and 1486 Venice editions, WITH THE LINE OF MANUSCRIPT TEXT IN ALDUS'S OWN HAND, on ι1r. There was a mistake during the typesetting of this work which resulted in the omission of a line of text on i1r; once the mistake was noticed, the type was reset to include the text, but in the copies already printed the missing text was supplied by hand.

The text was edited by Justinus Decadyus, of Corfu, and was addressed by him to native speakers, "to the Greeks of Greece" (unlike the Greek book of hours, which as a Catholic liturgical text was only of use as an educational text for Catholics). The dating is provided by the inclusion of this edition in Aldus's list of books for sale of 1 October 1498, priced at 4 marcelli.

LITERATURE:

Aldo Manuzio tipografo 29; ISTC ip01033000; Renouard 260/8; Sander 5944; UCLA 29; Geri della Rocca de Candal, "Lost in transition: a significant correction in Aldus Manutius's Psalterion (1496/98)", The Library, 7th series, 23 (2022), 155-179, appendix, copy no. 30

PROVENANCE:

Loverdos Collection, library stamps at end