EMBLEMATA, The Emblem Books of Andrea Alciato. A Leaf book.
Newtown: Bird & Bull Press, 2007. 6 x 9. 139 pages, 4 tipped-in original leaves from Alciato's 1589 edition. Quarter leather, slipcase. Fine, with prospectus. Item #14339
A professor of law, Alciato wrote Latin epigrams as a pastime. In combining them with images he created a new literary genre. The form proved popular, and some 2000 different emblem books were issued.
This copy is one of only 8 having four leaves. Three leaves in this copy bear woodcuts with moral lesson in Latin. Laid into the book is a translation of each.: About those who shelter murderers; Don't fight with ghosts; Wasteful with her own belongings, she should never be entrusted with those of another. The fourth original leaf is text in Latin & Greek, with a printer's ornament. A scholarly book, this has an humorous appendix by Henry Morris--eight new emblems with wood engravings by Wesley Bates. (Eight copies had 3 leaves and were bound in cloth; 124 regular copies had one leaf.).
Price: $1,450.00