- 56
Alexander de Ales
Estimate
2,000 - 3,000 GBP
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Description
- Summa universae theologiae (i.e. Super tertium librum sententiarum Petri Lombardi). Venice: Johannes de Colonia and Johannes Manthen, 1475
- Paper
Chancery folio (293 x 200mm.), 378 leaves (of 380, without two blank leaves), a-c10 d8 e-g10 h8 i10 K10; l-q10 r6 s-u10 x-y8 z aa10 bb-ee8.10 ff12 gg-mm10 nn8 oo-pp10 qq8; (1-4)8, with a duplicate of bifolium m5-6, double column, 52 lines, gothic type, 3- to 8-line initial spaces, most with printed guides, modern leather tooled in period style, old lettering piece pasted to inside front cover, a few deckle edges, slight staining to final quire
Literature
Goff A385; HC 647; BMC v 226; BSB-Ink A-242; Bod-inc A-170; GW 870
Condition
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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
A CRISP COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION. Johannes de Colonia had worked in partnership with Vindelinus de Spira, financing some of his editions, in the early 1470s, before joining forces with Johannes Manthen in 1474, also a businessman rather than a printer. They decided to move the type of books being produced from editions of the classics, which had flooded the market in Venice at this time and caused many other printshops to fail, to theology and law, and this book is an early indication of this change in programme. They later joined forces with Nicolas Jenson's business to form the largest publishing and bookselling enterprise in Venice.
The scholastic theologian Alexander de Ales (c. 1186-1245), from Halesowen in Shropshire, taught theology at Paris. The complete set of his monumental glosses on Peter Lombard's Sentences, exploring the issues raised by Peter Lombard but with extensive reference to Aristotle, was first printed by Koberger in 1481-1482 (see lot 57).