Thomas Aquinas

Royal 8vo in quarter sheets (171 x 120mm.), 16 leaves (last leaf blank), 1-2⁸, 27 lines, 2-4 line initials supplied in red, red initial-strokes, nineteenth-century half calf, nineteenth-century bibliographical notes (by Mendham?) opposite first page of text, some water-damage in lower half of leaves, rebacked retaining original spine

"Sta --?", contemporary rubricator's inscription in red at end of text; Law Society, armorial bookplate

C 559; GW M46413; Oates 337. ISTC records 15 copies.

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."

Zel set up the first press in Cologne in 1466. He lived into the early sixteenth century, and in the 1499 Cologne Chronicle he was the source of the statement that Gutenberg was the inventor of printing. The setting of his early works has been much examined. Of the present edition the title heading is found in two states: set in three lines (as here), or reduced to two lines (as Bod-inc T-118). In the older literature these were mistakenly treated as two separate editions.

The watermark in this copy is the seal of the Galliziani family, whose Basel mills apparently made the first Royal-size paper north of the Alps. This particular stock of paper was left over from Zel's Royal folio edition of Aquinas Summa theologica pars I (c. 1469-1470, Hain 1439); it was divided in quarters before printing in this smaller size. In older literature the format was mistakenly given as quarto.