Alciati, De verborum significatione, Lyon, 1546, contemporary French calf

ALCIATI, ANDREA. Dn. Andreae Alciati iuresconsulti clarissimi de verborum significatione, libri quatuor. Eiusdem in tractatum eius argumenti veterum iuresconsultorum commentaria. Ex ultima autoris recognitione. Lyon: Sébastien Gryphe, 1546 [bound with:]

Παρεργων iuris libri tres priores. Dn. Andrea Alciato autore. Lyon: Sébastien Gryphe, 1554

Παρεργων iuris libri VII posteriores. Dn. Andrea Alciato autore. Lyon: Sébastien Gryphe, 1544

This volume of works by Alciati, in which he applies humanist philology to legal texts, is in a trade binding featuring a medallion of Henri II, a popular binding style in the mid-sixteenth century; another example from the Bibliotheca Brookeriana (part III, London, 9 July 2024, lot 459) had a different medallion of Henri II on an octavo edition of Flavio Biondo printed by Simon de Colines in 1533. The binding can be dated to the late 1550s, as Henri II died in 1559. Hobson’s census of medallion bindings includes several featuring Henri II; this medallion is Hobson’s 101, for which he lists 8 examples, not including the present volume. Another volume of Alciati’s works printed by Gryphe with this binding is listed by Hobson in his second supplement of plaquette bindings.

The first part of the Parergon was printed in 1530, and this is the first edition of the third work. Gryphe also printed the final two books (XI and XII) of the Parergon in 1554.

3 parts in one volume, folio (324 x 218 mm). (1) Roman type with marginalia in italics, 45 lines plus headline. Collation: a-z⁶ A⁸: 146 leaves. Woodcut printer’s device on title-page and final verso (otherwise blank), woodcut initials, a few early annotations and underlining; (2) Roman and italic type, 59 lines plus headline. Collation: *⁶ a-c⁶ d⁸: 32 leaves. Woodcut printer’s device on title-page, woodcut initials; (3) Roman, italic and Greek type: 54 lines plus headline. Collation: a-m⁶ n⁸: 80 leaves (last leaf blank). Woodcut printer’s device on title-page, woodcut initials. (Occasional light damp-staining.)

Binding: Contemporary French calf gilt (329 x 234 mm), central gilt medallion portrait of Henri II with a crowned H to either side, outer frame composed of numerous gilt and blind fillets with corner fleurons, spine with small outline flower stamp gilt in compartments, gilt edges, some deckle edges. (Binding and medallion somewhat rubbed, ends of spine and top half of both joints repaired.)

Provenance: Navarre, early signature on title-page, and later note "ex libris Claudii Navarre" — Jean Fürstenberg (1890-1982), red morocco gilt booklabel, bequeathed to Fondation Fürstenberg-Beaumesnil, sale, Wemaëre, de Beaupuis, Denesle, Binoche et Giquello, Paris, 9 December 2013, lot 101. Acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. References: USTC 149573 & 123171 & 149224; von Gültlingen V: Gryphe 900, 1264 & cf. 815 (both parts of the 1544 Parergon); Anthony Hobson, Humanists and Bookbinders (Cambridge, 1989), p. 242, and his second supplement (in “For the love of the binding”, London, 2000), p.76