(Reynes, John; sixteenth-century English blind-stamped Binding) — Desiderius Erasmus

Estimate

3,000 - 5,000 USD

bidding is closed

Description

Epistola nuncupatoria ad Carolum Caesarem. Exhortatio ad studium Evangelicae lectionis. Paraphrasis in Evangelium Matthaei, per D. Erasmum Rot. nunc denuo recognita. Epistola ad R. D. Matthaeum Card. Sedun. [Colophon]: Basel: [Froben], December 1521
ink, paper and cow

8vo (7 5/8 x 4 3/8 in.; 170 x 110 mm). Title-page with woodcut border, contemporary annotations in text and on last blank; incomplete, two first quires and y¹ missing. Contemporary London binding by John Reynes, brown calf, large panel twice signed IR for John Reynes on upper cover and a large panel with two little panel with the royal arms of Henry VIII above and the Tudor rose with the pomegranate of Catherine of Aragon below, three broad raised bands on spine, title calligraphically lettered on the fore-edge; laces missing; top and bottom of spine repaired, upper right corner torn, joints rubbed, endpapers renewed. Probably recased. Offered as a binding only, sold as is.

Provenance

Swann, 22 March 1990, lot 65. acquisition: Bernard Quaritch, 1993

Literature

Hobson, Blind-stamped Panels, pp. 35-36; Oldham, Blind-stamped Panels, HE. 21 and REL. 5, ill. plates XX and XXXV

Catalogue Note

First issue of this John Reynes blind-stamped binding.

According to Oldham, these two panels (including the double one) are always used together. Sixty-three examples are known on books dated between 1493 and 1542. There are two versions of the double-panel, one with the pomegranate of Catherine of Aragon like on this copy and one without it after the marriage was annulled.