Lot 583
  • 583

SCHOENBORN, COMPUTUS, WITTENBERG, 1567, PRESENTATION COPY TO THE LANGRAVE OF HESSE, CALF GILT BINDING

Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 GBP
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Description

  • Computus, vel calendarium astronomicum, continens praecipuarum partium temporis descriptiones. Wittenberg: Johann Schwertel, 1567
8vo (151 x 96mm.), title and quires Dd-Ff printed in red and black, woodcut initials and illustrations, contemporary binding of calf over wooden boards, central panel gilt on upper cover with a portrait of Johann Friedrich I of Saxony, on the lower cover a portrait of his wife Sibylla of Cleves, the date 1567 stamped on upper cover, blind decoration on spine and a gilt stamped shelfmark "18 C G", edges gilt, gauffered and coloured, some deckle edges, lacking two pairs of ties, joints slightly rubbed

Provenance

Wilhelm IV of Hesse-Kassel, presentation inscription; "Hermannus HL", inscription on title-page, i.e. Hermann IV, Landgrave of Hessen-Rotenberg (1607-1658), grandson of Wilhelm IV; Dukes of Arenberg, Plettenberg'schen Bibliothek, Schloss Nordkirchen, bookplate, sale, Reiss & Auvermann, 10-13 October 1994, lot 1717, DM22,000, where bought by Erwin Tomash

Literature

Tomash & Williams S44; USTC 624008; VD16 S 3361; Zinner 2436

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."

Catalogue Note

PRESENTATION COPY IN A FINE GILT BINDING, inscribed by the author to Wilhelm IV, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (1532-1592), in a fine humanist hand on the flyleaf. Educated under Erasmus Reinhold at Wittenberg, Schönborn remained there as a lecturer in mathematics, geography and astronomy for most of his life. At the time of publication, the Landgraviate of Hesse was being divided among the four sons of Philipp I, and Wilhelm IV received Hesse-Kassel. As Wilhelm was renowned for his interest in astronomy, Schönborn immediately dispatched to him a copy of his new book. The volume subsequently entered the library of his grandson, Hermann IV (1607-1658), who shared his scientific interests. The large panel stamp of Johann Friedrich I of Saxony (1503-1554) on the upper cover (90 x 52mm.) is dated 1539 in its long caption. Konrad Haebler (I, p.393, no. ix) associated it with a Wittenberg binder, Thomas Reuter, an implausible assignment since Reuter was not admitted to the Guild until 1567, and died in 1595. The panel on the lower cover (88 x 68mm.) depicts Sibylle von Jülich-Kleve-Berg (1512-1554), consort of Elector Johann Friderich. It is lettered “Sibylla Geborne Herczogin | Zv G.V. B. Herczogin Zv Sachsen”, without date. Haebler does record it and we have found no mention of it elsewhere.