Eustathius Thessalonicensis, Parekbolai, Rome, 1542, French alla greca binding for Marcus Fugger by the Atelier du Fontainebleau
Auction Closed
December 10, 04:10 PM GMT
Estimate
70,000 - 100,000 GBP
We may charge or debit your saved payment method subject to the terms set out in our Conditions of Business for Buyers.
Read more.Lot Details
Description
EUSTATHIUS THESSALONICENSIS. Ευσταθιου αρχιεπισκοπου Θεσσαλονικης παρεκβολαι εις την Ομηρου Ιλιαδα. Rome: (Antonio Blado), 1542
A magnificent French alla greca binding made for Marcus Fugger by the Atelier du Fontainebleau. A very similar binding was made for Henri II in around 1552, with similar sunken panels and four straps with pin fastenings (Laffitte and Le Bars, Reliures royales de la Renaissance, no. 73). The gilt tools in the outer frame also appear on bindings made for Grolier (Nixon, Grolier Bindings, C. de P. tools 47, 51, 57, 62a-b, 66a & b), which are now attributed to Jean Picard. Anthony Hobson (in Humanists and Bookbinders (Cambridge, 1989), 172-213), discusses the Fontainebleau bindings; a full set of this edition of Eustathius was bound for Henri II.
Unusually, this volume contains a now-detached vellum longitudinal lettering-piece which was originally pasted to the spine, giving a long title of the book in Greek capitals, to be read horizontally along the spine, which was a feature of Marcus Fugger’s bindings. See the essay by Isabelle de Conihout at the start of the catalogue for a survey of the Fuggers and their bindings.
For another alla greca binding made for Marcus Fugger, see Bibliotheca Brookeriana I, 11 October 2023, lot 33; while the cover decoration is quite different from the present volume, the edges are gauffered to a very similar design. The blue and yellow endbands on each volume reflect the Fugger family colours.
The other three parts of this work (not here present) contain the rest of the commentary on the Iliad, the commentary on the Odyssey, and the indices.
Part 1 only (of 4), folio (327 x 220 mm). Greek type, 46 lines plus headline. collation: π2 α-ρρ6 σσ8 ττ-βββ6 γγγ8: 314 leaves (σσ8 and ττ1 blank). Woodcut printer’s device on title-page, a few woodcut diagrams.
binding: Contemporary Parisian alla greca binding made for Marcus Fugger (331 x 230 mm), wooden covers with sunken panels decorated in different colours, central dark brown panel with blind interlacing and pale central cartouche within a painted wooden frame, the next inset frame of blue silk overlaid with gilt card interlacing, outer raised frame of dark brown morocco gilt with leafy azured tools and swirls, flat spine with outline interlaced gilt decoration on a pointillé ground with longitudinal vellum manuscript label (detached), manuscript paper extended endbands of blue and yellow thread, board edges with grooves and four pins for straps, one remaining (of four) triple plaited cord strap attached to lower board, edges gilt and gauffered. In modern half green morocco drop-backed folding box lined with green felt. (Binding rather rubbed and scraped with areas of loss, upper board slightly bowed, lower board with central crack.)
provenance: Marcus Fugger (1529-1597), inscription "Marcus Fuggerus" on inside front cover, with his shelfmark "Arc. 151 Nro. 20" — Oettingen-Wallerstein library at Schloss Maihingen (which inherited some of Marcus Fugger’s library), armorial ink stamp on title-page, sale, Karl & Faber, Auktion 8: Bibliophile Kostbarkeiten aus der Bibliothek des Augsburger Patriziers Marcus Fugger, Munich, 6-7 November 1933, lot 239 — Constantin Carathéodory (1873-1950), bookplate, sale, Sotheby’s, 8 June 2011, lot 15. acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. references: Edit16 18394
