Thomas a Kempis

Chancery folio (253 x 190mm.), 70 leaves (of 76), [a-g¹⁰ h⁶], 35 lines, gothic type, 3-line initial spaces, [c]10 a cancel (and remargined, as in the British Library copies), missing text supplied in fine near-contemporary manuscript (over 4 leaves, dated 1499, though without the table of contents and the colophon), eighteenth-century German half calf over pasteboard, red edges, lacking final quire

Benedictine abbey of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Scheyern (upper Bavaria), inscription on title-page; "Dpl", sold as a duplicate from Munich, around 1858; William O'Brien, bequest bookplate dated 1899

Goff I4; H 8589; BMC ii 318; BSB-Ink T-165; Bod-inc T-095; GW 12451; Grosjean & O'Connell 66

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."

EDITIO PRINCEPS of the Imitation of Christ, previously attributed in manuscript copies to Jean Gerson but in the colophon here Zainer names the author as "Thome montis sancte Agnetis in traiecto". It was one of the most influential treatises of the time, in particular for the Devotio moderna movement in the Low Countries, and for the monasteries of the Melk Reform in southern Germany and Austria. Zainer's source for the text may well have been a manuscript at the Charterhouse of Buxheim, with whom he had close connections.

The abbey of Scheyern had close links with the Augsburg book trade at the time of the introduction of printing there, as did other monasteries of the Melk Reform, such as Tegernsee and St Emmeram in Regensburg (see John T. McQuillen, "Fifteenth-century book networks: scribes, illuminators, binders, and the introduction of print", PBSA 107 (2013), 495-515).

The hand of the scribe has been identified as Frater Placidus, who wrote several books for Scheyern in the 1480s and 1490s, as well as writing ownership inscriptions in the books in the library. We are grateful to Dr John T. McQuillen for the identification.

William O'Brien had a particular interest in this text as he collected a considerable number of editions (also see lots 348-351).