Croatian--Kasic, Bartol (1575-1650), S.J.

Micalia, Jacopo (1600-1654), S.J. Blago jezika slovinskoga illi Slovnik ù Komu izgorarajuse rjeci slovinske Latinski, i Diacki. Thesaurus linguae Illyricae sive dictionarium Illyricum. Loreto: Paolo and Giovanni Battista Serafini, 1649 (Ancona: Ottavio Beltrano, 1651), 8vo (162 x 104mm.), [16], 46, [4 (inserted blanks)]; 863, [3 (last leaf blank)] pp., illustration: woodcut illustration on first page of text, some printing rather faint or smudged, paper flaw on V3 and Pp5



together 2 volumes, bindings: contemporary mottled calf, gilt fillet border, red edges, joints slightly worn, lacking lettering-pieces

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."

first editions of two important works in the history of the Croatian language. Kasic studied at the Illyrian College near Loreto, became a Jesuit in 1595, and taught Croatian at the Illyrian College in Rome. His Institutionum linguae Illyricae libri duo is the first croatian grammar. He also translated the Bible into Croatian but it was refused permission to print and was only published in 2000. For Kasic's translation of Thomas a Kempis's De imitatio Christi into Croatian, see Macclesfield Bibles, lot 2364.

Micalia (or Mikalja) was born in Peschici, a Croat settlement in Puglia. He taught at the Jesuit College in Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and wrote several works on grammar and orthography. In 1645 he became Croatian confessor in Loreto, like Kasic before him. This dictionary, the first croatian dictionary, is his best-known work, and includes a description of the alphabet and an Italian grammar in Croatian. The version of Croatian used is the dialect of Dubrovnik, Shtokavian, which Micalia describes as "Bosnian".