Josephus, Flavius

Median folio (325 x 217mm.), 176 leaves, [a-c¹⁰ d⁸ e-f¹⁰ g⁸ h¹⁰; i-l¹⁰ m-n⁶ o-p¹⁰ q⁸ r-t¹⁰], 38 lines, roman type, 5- to 7-line initial spaces, early nineteenth-century navy morocco gilt by Charles Lewis, spine gilt in compartments, gilt edges, first few leaves with marginal paper repairs, first leaf slightly soiled, some marginalia washed out, upper cover slightly faded, lower cover slightly wormed

"Bohn, 1825" (presumably the London bookseller John Bohn, 1757-1843, or his son James), pencil inscription on flyleaf by; Sir John Hayford Thorold, Syston Park bookplate, sale, 16 December 1884, lot 1057, £7-10; Sir Edward Sullivan, bookplate, sale, Sotheby's, 31 May 1890, lot 3556, £5-7-6, to Rimell; William O'Brien, bequest bookplate dated 1899

Goff J488; H 9457; BMC iv 62; BSB-Ink I-620; Bod-inc J-224; GW M15182; Grosjean & O'Connell 72

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."

A crisp copy of "A most splendid book, extremely rare" (pencil note on flyleaf). We have not been able to trace a sale record for this edition in either ABPC or Rare Book Hub (ISTC lists 39 copies, including this one). This is the only incunable edition of Josephus with the text edited by Platina; the three earlier editions had no named editor. This is also the only edition containing just the Jewish War; the other Latin editions of Josephus (see lot 203) included his Jewish Antiquities.

The Germans Arnoldus Pannartz and Conradus Sweynheym introduced printing to Italy. They began printing in the Benedictine monastery at Subiaco in 1465, moving to Rome in 1467 to the house of the brothers de Maximis. They stopped working in partnership in 1473, and Pannartz continued printing under his own name, still in the house of Petrus de Maximis, until 1476. They were the only printers in Italy until Johannes de Spira set up shop in Venice in 1469.