PETRUS LOMBARDUS ( - BONAVENTURA) (Sententiarum libri IV). (With Bonaventura's commentary, ed. by. J. Beckenhaub Nuremberg, A. Koberger (after 2nd March 1491).
Five parts in 3 vols. Vol.1: Part I and V, Vol. 2: Part II, Vol. 3: Part III and IV. Thus complete. Folio. Vol. 1: 204; 110 unnumb. lvs. (of 111: lacking the first blank). Vol. 2: 259 unnumb. lvs. (of 260: lacking the last blank; the first blank preserved). Vol. 3: 217 unnumb. lvs. (of 218: lacking the first blank); 272 unnumb. lvs. Goth. types. Part I illuminated with a large initial in red, blue and green, filled in with geometrical decor and with a border strip; throughout smaller initials in red and blue (alternating), rubricated in the same colours. Both part III and IV decorated with a large illumination in gold and colours (red, blue, green, brown).Part V illuminated with an initial in blue, red and green, filled in with geometrical decor and with tendril; smaller initials mostly in red, a few in blue, rubrication throughout in. Vol. 1: Brown leather (c. 1900) with title on spine (soiled). Vol. 2: 18th century vellum (browned, a little bit stained, spine with minor defects). Vol. 3: 18th century half calf (slightly rubbed) with gilt-stamped title on spine. First edition of Bonaventura's complete commentary; very rare (particularly the probably a little bit later printed [see BMC] tabula [= p. V] is often lacking or substituited by that one from the Kilian Fischer edition in 1493). The Koberger-tabula exists in 2 variants, in our copy the variant A with 111 lvs. is bound in (in the catalogue of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek Munich distinguished from the variant B with 106 leaves) Parts III and IV each with a large full miniature in gold and red, blue, green and brown tones. As the space taken by the miniaturist was intended to be taken by a large initial, the artist has painted an initial in gold and red in a rhombic field, which has been colored in blue and red, in the left margin next to the first line of text. The illumination at the beginning of part III portrays St. Bonaventura as Bishop of Albano standing next to, and pointing to, the cross and holding his cathedral in the other hand; the second illumination shows Christ on the cross between Bonaventura and Franziskus. In both pictures the cross of Christ is shown as a blossoming tree (as a sign of life). The style of the illuminations is not very far away from that one used in several Franciscan and Dominican convents in the area of Freiburg, Strasbourg, Basle etc. in the second half of the 15th century (the so-called Upper Rhine Convent Painting). Lombardus' "distictiones" are printed in large letters, surrounded by printed marginalia (inner margin) and commentaries; this is followed by a double column printing of the "Quaestiones" of Bonaventura; all in the same smaller type. Bonaventura (= Johannes Fidanza, c. 1217 - 1274) the 7th general of the Franciscans and theologian at the university of Paris is said to be the most important mediaeval philosopher and theologian next Thomas Aquinas. The commentary to Petrus Lombardus' "Libri Sententiarum" is one of his main works. Vol. 1: Title of "tabula" reinforced at joint. Front end-paper with 2 ex-libris, front new fly-leaf with a mounted catalogue entry (not relating to our copy) and with a type-written paper describing this copy. Gatherings a - q mistakenly bound in in front of part 1. The original fly-leaves preserved, newer ones added. In places with finger- or damp-stains, throughout very slightly browned (a few lvs. only more intensively); slim upper margins (head-lines not affected). Otherwise clean. Green edges. Vol. 2: Slightly browned throughout and margins damp-stained (some lvs. more intensively). First and last lvs. soiled and water-marked, otherwise water-marking near the joints. 1 leaf with restored tear to margin (text not affected), first (blank) leaf with worm-tracks, first gatherings with some worm-holes (loss of a few letters). Otherwise clean and with wide margins. Vol. 3: Last leaf mounted. Some worm-holes (loss of a few letters), slim upper margins (head-lines not touched). Very slightly browned throughout, minor finger-staining. Lower margin of fol. A II with a paper defect (erasure) and with an old ownership entry (partly inked-out). A few marginalia by an old hand, mottled edges. A clean copy with 2 splendid illuminations. HC 3540*; BMC II, 433; Goff P-486; BSB/Ink. P-387; IGI 7643; GW (online) M 32527.
Euro31000
This item is listed on Bibliopoly by Antiquariat Büchel-Baur; click here for further details.