Lactantius, Institutiones Divinae, Venice, Heirs of Aldo & Torresano, 1515, contemporary brown calf, the Horton copy

Lactantius, Lucius Caecilius Firmianus. Diuinarum institutionum libri septem. De ira Dei, liber I De opificio Dei, liber I Epitome in libros suos liber acephalos. Phoenix. Carmen de dominica resurrectione. Venice: Heirs of Aldo Manuzio & Andrea Torresano, April 1515

The Horton copy, in a contemporary London binding.

2 parts in one volume, 8vo (165 x 98 mm). Italic type, I1:80, 30 lines plus headline. collation: aa-bb⁸ a-z⁸ A-Y⁸: 376 leaves; Tertullianus: *⁴ AA-FF⁸: 52 leaves. Woodcut Aldine device on title-pages and final verso, contemporary and later marginalia. (Light dampstaining, primarily to the second part, small circular loss to FF7 affecting 2 words.)

binding: Contemporary brown calf (174 x 106 mm), probably by James Gaver (d. 1545), London ca. 1530s, comprising blind stamped panels, top and bottom rectangular panels containing half human creatures kneeling to face one another and chained together with grass and leaf detail, in center two panels enclosing circular vines with angels playing lute, harp and other musical instruments, each panel with marginal legend "Laudate domini sono tub[a]e laudate eum in psalterio et cythara" (Psalm 150), remnants of 2 metal clasps, vellum endpapers, manuscript title on head and tail edges. (Binding restored and inlaid in a modern structure, joints cracked, loss to one corner, spine slightly dry and cracked, extensively marginalia to front endleaves, one trimmed at top edge, staining and wear to rear endleaves.)

provenance: Thomas Juxon, inscription, "Liber Thomas Juxon 1567," on title-page — Anthony Watson, inscription, "Antonius Watsonus 1576," on upper pastedown and endleaf, probably the graduate (B.A. 1572, M.A. 1575) and Fellow (1573-1583) of Christ's Church, Cambridge, who became Bishop of Chichester (1596-1605) — scattered early marginalia; later notes on front free vellum endleaf — unidentified owner, inscription, "Sam Brentnall 1714/1715," on title-page, possibly the Nonconformist minister (1681-ca. 1750), imprisoned for counterfeiting in 1739 and his estate forfeited, received a royal pardon, but too late to prevent the sale of his property— John Barrett, inscription on title-page — Sir Robert Horton, Bonhams London, 12 November 2013, lot 21. acquisition: Purchased at Bonhams via Robin Halwas. references: UCLA 132; Renouard 70/2; Aldo Manuzio tipografo 133.2; Grolier/Aldus 64; Edit16 45472; USTC 837070