Rare books from James Gray Bookseller

London: Printed by W. Godbid, for R.S. and are to be Sold by John Williams Junior, in Cross-Key Court in Little-Britain, 1674, 1674. Palmer IV, 12. This copy is a very nice and tidy copy bound in 19th century vellum over boards. A very nice copy. Citation/references :Wing (2nd ed.), H1521, &, Wing H-1049; Palmer IV, 12. Printed: 1667 Duodecimo, Nineth edition of the first book, the second Fifth edition π⁶ [*⁶](-[*1]) ,A- I¹² K⁶; ²A-C¹², A-B¹²,C⁶ {tricky but complete] The text of the Temple includes the pattern poems, "The Altar," and "Easter Wings" Herbert's reputation rests on this remarkable collection of poems which mark perfectly the metaphysical tone of his spiritual unrest, which is resolved in final peace, "the Herbert we know through 'Aaron,' 'Discipline,' 'The Collar,' 'The Pulley,' and many other poems in which he strives to subdue the willful or kindle the apathetic self His principal themes are those 'two vast, spacious things Sinne and Love' There is nothing soft in the… Read More

London: William Godbid for William Shrowsbery, 1677, 1676. This copy is bound in full later panneled calf with a spine label. It is a very handsome copy. This copy was owned by Desmond Morris, and has his book plate. The problem of human origins, of how and when the first humans appeared in the world, has been addressed in a DSC_0042variety of ways in western thought. In the 17th century the predominant explanation for the origin of the world and the beings that inhabit it, especially human beings, was based on the biblical account of creation. It was almost universally accepted that humans had been created by a supernatural agent using supernatural means. But alternative explanations for the production of the first humans did exist, according to which the first humans were produced by nature through some form of spontaneous generation" (Matthew R. Goodrum). The word evolution (from the Latin evolution, meaning "to unroll like a scroll") appeared in English in the 17th century, referring to an… Read More

[Ulm: Johann Zainer, not after 1479] (A copy now in Munich BSB has an ownership inscription dated 1479). [Peregrinus de Oppeln]. [daran: Quadragesimale] / [Jacobus de Voragine]. [und: Concordantia in passionem dominicam] / [Nicolaus de Dinkelsbuel]. Rubicated throughout. Bound in Calf over wooden boards, with catches and clasp restored.rebacked back restored using old material, cover covers rubbed and with small missing parts).I have located only two U.S.copies both defective. 238JPeregrinus: Sermones de tempore et de sanctis. Add: Jacobus de Voragine: Quadragesimale. Nicolaus de Dinkelsbuel: Concordantia in passionem dominicam Est autem huius operis ordo talis. Primo ponuntur sermones d[omi]nicales de tempore per anni circulu[m]. Secundo de sanctis, Tercio q[ua]dragesimale Jacobi de Foragine, Q[ua]rto concordantia quatuor euangelista[rum] in passiiones d[omi]nicam a magistro Nicolao Dinckelspubell collectam."/ At end of leaf m8: "Sermones Peregrini de tempore finiunt. ¶ Folio. "Pars I (188): a-d8,… Read More

Amsterdam: Apud Joannem Janssonium à Waesberge, & Viduam Elizei Weyerstraet, 1669. It is bound in full original calf with a gilt spine with an expertly executed early rebacking. Nothing is more beautiful than know all things" The 'Ars Magna Sciendi' is Kircher's exploration and development of the 'Combinatoric Art' of Raymond Lull, the thirteenth century philosopher. Kircher attempts in this monumental work to classify knowledge under the nine ideal attributes of God, which were taken to constitute the pattern for all creation. In the third chapter of this book is presented a new and universal version of the Llullistic method of combination of notions. Kircher seems to be convinced that the Llullistic art of combination is a secret and mystical matter, some kind of esoteric doctrine. In contrast with Llull, who used Latin words, words with clearly defined significations for his combinations, Kircher began filling the tables with signs and symbols of a different kind. By doing this Kircher was… Read More

Paris: Jacobeo, sub signo Pellicani ab Engleberto Marnefio, 1522. Second edition. Signatures: a-g8, h6(h5-6 both blank, half of h5 missing and lacking h6) LXII f. Bound in original vellum limp binding with hand lettering on spine "Cleree sermones/aVerdu DNI/1522": name on first page "Thomas Stevenson/Edinburgh/183. very good copy of a rare sermon. John Clérée dominican friar, preacher of the Late Middle Ages, is a little and unjustly forgotten nowadays. He was however very well known in the time of the kings Charles VIII and Louis XII, whose he has been the confessor. This study is based on the Quadragesimale said of Valenciennes. Clérée, using always of the rules of the scolastic Ars Praedicamdi, is nevertheless able to innovate by introducing in his sermons some dramatic dialogues. He is an accurate witness of the difficulties and problems of the french society about 1500 : the increasing inegalities between rich and poor ; the heaviness of the royal fiscality and of all kinds of taxes ; the… Read More

Paris: Claude Chevallon, 1525. Second Edition. (First published in 1512, this edition is not listed in Farge * This is a beautiful little book, in a small size textura type with many abbreviations and ligatures; text printed in double columns. Octavo 16 x 10 cm. Signatures:. [-]4, a-z8, A-T8. Colophon: Apud inclyta[m] Parisio[rum] Lu|tetia[m], in edib[us] Claudij Cheual|loni, sub i[n]signi Solis aurei, in| via ad diuu[m] Jacobu[m]: anno d[omi]ni| M.cccccxxv. me[n]se Septe[m]bri. Bound in later green morocco.. Colophon: Apud inclyta[m] Parisio[rum] Lu|tetia[m], in edib[us] Claudij Cheual|loni, sub i[n]signi Solis aurei, in| via ad diuu[m] Jacobu[m]: anno d[omi]ni| M.cccccxxv. me[n]se Septe[m]bri. Bound in later green morocco.. Perhaps the fullest of all pictures of the relations between ecclesiastic and peasant , is to be found in that course of sermons On the Destruction of Nineveh which the Dominican Guillaume Pépin , Doctor of Theology , preached in the convent of his Order at Evreux in 1524 ,… Read More

Venice: Presso la compagnia de gli Vniti, 1585. A later edition of the first rosary Book" in Italian.. This book has a wonderful contemporary binding, recently expertly rebacked. It is of red Morocco with gilt center images and borders gilt, with angels. Over 150 woodcuts (including repeats) comprising almost full-page cuts (1 on t.p.) within borders. All had previously appeared in earlier editions. Ornamental and pictorial border pieces on almost every leaf. ( The wood cut on leaf 173v is upside. Certainly, these books were very popular, that said, very few copies have survived. This edition is represented on OCLC by only two copies worldwide. 1 US copy Saint Benedict/Saint John's University. (SJU Alcuin Arca Artium Rare BookBX2163 .C37 1585). [The authorship of the work and the woodcuts are attributable to the Dominican Friar Alberto da Castello, identified as author or editor at the authorizations of the Venecian Inquisition, given 5 April 1521. (Francesco Pisano) Sander 6572-6573. See: Essling… Read More

Dresden: [Emserpresse?], 1524. First edition. A-E4, F2./ Errata on p. [44]. At first Emser was on the side of the reformers, but like his patron he desired a practical reformation of the clergy without any doctrinal breach with the past or the church; and his liberal sympathies were mainly humanistic, like those of Erasmus and others who parted company with Luther after 1519. As late as that year Luther referred to him as "Emser noster," but the Leipzig Debate in that year completed the breach between them. Emser warned his Bohemian friends against Luther, and Luther retorted with an attack on Emser which outdid in scurrility all his polemical writings. Emser, who was further embittered by an attack of the Leipzig students, imitated Luther's violence, and asserted that Luther's whole crusade originated in nothing more than enmity to the Dominicans, Luther's reply was to burn Emser's books along with Leo X's bull of excommunication. Emser next, in 1521, published an attack on Luther's Appeal to the… Read More

Padua: Petrumpaulum Tozzium : ex typographeio Laurentij Pasquati, 1616. First illustrated edition. Quarto 22 x 16 cm :signatures [manicule]⁴ a-d⁴ c² A-4P⁴ 4Q² [$2; b2 signed "a2", 4N signed "Nnn"]. This copy is bound in modern Parchment, a very nice copy great impressions. Title page in red and black, (5), (5) Catalogus, (28) Index, 614, (1), 60pp. 2 full page engraved plates, large folding astrological plate, numerous further engravings.

Cologne: Quentell, 1492. This copy has rubrication on the first few pages with a very nice Lombard initial at the beginning of the text. Quarto. 19 X 14 cm Signatures: a-g⁶ [Lacks leaves g 3.4; GW notes: "In einem Teil der Aufl. fehlt das Doppelbl. g3.4, dessen Ausfall keine merkliche Störung des Textes bedeutet."] {"In part of the edition the double sheet g3.4 is missing, the failure of which does not mean any noticeable disturbance of the text.}. Accipies Woodcut" used by Quentell; depicting St Gregory instructs two scholars, this was used from 1491 to 1495, This is designated as 'A i' or the first woodblock of this he used. cf. Proctor. Bibliographical Essays, pages 1-12.. The large woodcut on the title page has the famous inscription "Accipies tanti doctoris dogmata sancta"- ( ("You will receive the sacred tenets of a great doctor")) This is the first of several woodcuts known as the "Accipies Woodcut" used by Quentell; depicting St Gregory instructs two scholars, this was used from 1491 to… Read More

London: 1674: Printed by W. Godbid, for R.S. and are to be Sold by John Williams Junior, in Cross-Key Court in Little-Britain, 1674. Printed: 1674 1597-1663 Duodecimo, 575 x 35 inches The tenth edition [p]6, [*]5, A-L12, K6; A-C12; A-B12, C6 This copy Lacks the engraved portrait of Herbert by White. But does include the poems entitled "The Church Porch" and "The Church" appear in this edition as full paged engravings. This copy is water stained in the first few signatures, with the loss of some fore edge margins that have been repaired. It is bound in a fancy mid-nineteenth century of embossed calfskin in a neo-gothic blind tooled panel.(erbacked) The endpapers are marbled, The spine is handsomely tooled in blind as well, although the spine label has flaked off ¶This work contains 140 stanzic patterns, including the most famous shaped poem in the English language Herbert's reputation rests on this remarkable collection of poems which mark perfectly the Metaphysical tone of his spiritual unrest… Read More

Milan: Giacomo Ferrari, 1509. Editio princeps, a Latin translation of the Italian manuscript original, which was never printed. Bound in full early vellum. EDIT 16 CNCE 19894 JCB Lib. cat., pre-1675,; 1:49; Alden, J.E. European Americana,; 509/6; BM STC Italian, 1465-1600,; 281Thacher,; II, p. 100 (Miscellanea); Adams,; F1148; Isaac,; 13634; BM STC Italian, 1465-1600,; p. 281; NUC pre-1956Sabin; 26140; JCB; I, 49; Harrisse Additions; no. 34. Libreria Otto Lange. Catalogue No. 48. CATALOGUE OF BOOKS DEALING WITH NORTH AMERICA. Books published before 1551. (1925). Folio: 31 x 21 ½ cm. Editio princeps, a Latin translation of the Italian manuscript original, which was never printed. This copy is bound in full contemporary vellum. On leaf LL2a note on Gutenberg, the comment "a divine invention, and one quite apt for displaying human stupidity" (trans.) This is one of the early books, recording the discovery of America. On sig. LL2 the discovery by Columbus of a way to the Indies, shorter than any known… Read More

Antwerp: Ex officina Platiniana, apud Ioannem Moretum, 1605. First Edition. This copy is bound in contemporary calf with a Cross insignia in gold on the front board and Mary and the Baby Jesus on the rear board. A very nice copy, Quarto, 8 x 6 in. First (and only)edition. +-++4, A-Z4, a-t4. Daly & Dimler Jesuit series ;part one: J.144 p.150. Sommervogel vol. II, 1847: 7.: Landwehr EFBLC #186. Bibl. Belgica II, D 139. Praz 313.; Praz II 60; Funck 303. Brunet II, 536: "Les ouvrages de J. David sont recherchés ů cause des gravures de Th. Galle dont ils sont ornés." First edition. A very beautiful collection of emblems, written by a Belgian Jesuit. The illustrations consist of one frontispiece and 12 engaging plates which were engraved by engraved by Théodore Galle. Each one depicts the goddess "Occasio"which is the Latin name for Caerus, personification of opportunity whose comments and depicts both opportunity and neglected opportunity. A second part with continuous pagination, but its own title… Read More

Brescia: Angelus Britannicus de Pallazolo Biblioteca Virtual del Patrimonio Bibliograìfico, 1498. ] Woodcut printer's device C on leaf o9 verso. For Britannicus's device C, see BM 15th cent., VII, 972 . Second edition variations in texts though. This is a large and clean copy. Bound in later full vellum, a large copy with some deckle edges. Octavo, 14 ½x10 Cm. Signatures: π4, a-n8, o10 [colophon], l8, m12, p8.[o10,m12, p8are blank and present]. Goff A1294; HC(Add) 1951; IGI 1013; Sajó-Soltész 406; IBE 126; IBPort 35; Madsen 442; Schmitt II 2828,15; Hubay(Eichstätt) 110; Oates 2628; Pr 6998; BMC VII 980; BSB- Ink L-136; GW 2972 (Pseudo-Augustinus. Title and list of contents π1r; Title page,a1r 1)[Pseudo-] Augustinus [Pseudo- Anselmus; Jean de Fécamp]. Meditationes, caption "Invocatio dei omnipotentis ad morum et vite reparationem", The invocation of the Almighty God for the reparation of character and life. 2) a2r-e5r; [Pseudo-] Augustinus. Meditationes, 3) e5r-i3r; [Pseudo-] Augustinus.… Read More

Anvers: De l'imprimerie de C. Plantini, (PLANTIN), 1567. Third edition expanded to 217 Emblems. Bound coeval limp laced case parchment. a clean copy in original condition. 217 woodcuts Each woodcut is accompanied by a motto, followed by an explanation. Landwehr Romantic Nº 569; VOET, The Plantin Press, N° 1953." Réimpression de l'édition donnée par Plantin en 1561, & illustrée des mêmes 216 bois gravés. Adams/Rawles/Saunders French emblem books F-461 Mortimer, Harvard cat. 410. Praz, M. Studies in 17th-century imagery,; p. 444-445; Volkmann; page 53 ; Kraus cat Nº66 n.479;. Duodecimo in 8's, 12.5 x 8 cm. Third edition A-V8 This edition has 217 woodcuts Each woodcut is accompanied by a motto, followed by an explanation. Bound coeval limp laced case parchment. a clean copy in original condition. The Devises Heroïques published in French in Lyons in 1551 by Jean de Tournes. Under the title Dévises héroïques. Les dévises ov emblèmes héroïques et morales, by Simeoni, originally published… Read More