Perret, Eximiae peritiae alphabetum, Antwerp, 1571, contemporary limp vellum

Perret, Clément. Eximiae peritiae alphabetum, complura graphica exemplaria continens, totidemque diversarum literarum characteres, septem diversis linguis expressos. Libellus aeque utilis ac necessarius omnibus liberalibus ingeniis, atque adolescentibus; qui bene pingendi literas arte delectantur. Huius enim inspectione et imitatione, tyrones, cum paratiores in ea arte evadent, tum vero perfectam normam delineandi consimiles in illis, linguis characteres, assequentur. Clemens perret brabantius scribebat, aetatis suae .xx. Anno .1571. [Antwerp: Christophe Plantin], 1571

An uncommon writing book, giving examples of writing hands in seven European languages, including English, with English provenance; the English connection is strengthened by Perret's visit to Elizabeth I, who owned a copy of his 1569 writing book, and he may have been her writing tutor. The plates are roughly arranged in alphabetical order, by the first letter on each page, and the texts used are taken from different translations of the Bible.

Perret's first writing book was published by Plantin in 1569, with engraved borders on each leaf and a final privilege leaf. This is a simpler version, slightly smaller in size and without the borders, but still presumably issued by Plantin.

This copy contains: 3 plates of alphabets, 3 plates with text in English, 3 in Dutch and 3 in Latin, 4 plates in Spanish and 4 in German, 6 plates in Italian and 8 plates in French.

Oblong folio (197 x 273 mm). 36 leaves. Engraved title-page, 34 engraved plates of letterforms, leaf with engraved border but otherwise blank. (A few ink stains, some marginal soiling.)

binding: Contemporary limp vellum (201 x 280 mm), later manuscript title in English on upper cover, stubs from two pairs of green silk ties. (Binding somewhat soiled, pastedowns and flyleaves slightly torn and soiled.)

provenance: Thomas Plumpton, signature at foot of title-page — Ames of Norfolk, armorial bookplate (quite plausibly Joseph Ames the bibliographer and antiquary, 1689-1759) — [Marlborough Rare Books, London, sold in 1990 to] — Arthur and Charlotte Vershbow, sale, Christie's New York, 20 June 2013, lot 638. acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. references: Bonacini 1405; USTC 443716 (one copy, in Columbia University; Voet also mentions copies in Wiesbaden and Chicago); cf. Voet 1961 (Perret's 1569 Exercitatio alphabetica nova et utilissima)