Early Printing & Manuscripts (15th & 16th Century)

LEMNIUS, Levinus. De habitu et constitutione corporis, quam Graeci "krasin", triviales complexionem vocant, libri II.
Erfurt, Esaias Mechlerus, 1582. 8vo. With a woodcut portrait of the author on the title page, several decorated woodcut initials and tail pieces. Contemporary blind-tooled pigskin over wooden boards, sewn on 3 supports with the corresponding raised bands on the spine, the first compartment of the spine has been painted red, a manuscript shelf mark ("E. 188") in red ink in the fourth compartment, the boards are richly blind-tooled with a central panel featuring Justicia (signed "HB") on the front, and Lucrecia (dated 1570) on the back, framed by a decorative border containing small portraits of classical authors, secured with two brass clasps and catches. [8], 167, [13] ll. Full description

LENCKER, Hans. Perspectiva hierinnen auffs kürtzte beschrieben ...
Nürnberg, Dietrich Gerlach, 1571. Small folio (29 x 19 cm). With the title within a woodcut border, 10 full-page woodcuts within collation and 1 double-page woodcut within collation (the latter not included in page numbering). Decorated black and red boards (ca. 1900). [6], XXIX ll. Full description

LEO VI (the Wise) of Byzantium and Antonius SEVERUS of Rome (attributed). Vaticinium Severi, et Leonis Imperatorum, in quo videtur finis Turcarum in praesenti eorum imperatore, una cum aliis nonnullis in hac re Vaticiniis ...
Brescia, Pietro Maria Marchetti, 1596. Small 8vo (14.5 x 10 cm). With 16 numbered engraved emblematic illustrations. Contemporary limp sheepskin parchment. 106, [6 blank] pp. Full description

LESPLEIGNEY, Thibault. De usu pharmaceutices in consarcinandis medicame[n]tis, Isagoge. ....
[Paris], Jean Ruel, 1543. 16mo (12 x 8 cm). Set in 3 sizes of roman type, the smallest including special pharmacological characters. Modern sheepskin parchment, gilt edges. 229, [11] pp. Full description

LEU, Thomas de (or de LEEUW) [drawn by Marten de VOS]. [Engraved title:] Solitudo sive vitae patrum eremicolarum ...
[Paris], Thomas de Leu, 1606. Small oblong folio (19 x 25.5 cm). With an engraved allegorical title page, and 29 engraved prints. Gold-tooled blue goatskin morocco (ca. 1890?) bound by Bernard David (or his son Salvador David) in Paris. [1], 29 engraved ll. Full description

LEUNCLAVIUS, Joannes. Kronyka Nowa O Narodu Tureckem, na dwa Djili rozdelena.
Prague, Daniel Adam, 1594. 2 volumes bound as 1. Small 4to (19.5 x 15.5 cm). With the title-page of volume 1 printed in red and black, and the colophon with large woodcut printer's device; the 2nd volume with woodcut ornament on the title-page, and the colophon with a woodcut vignette. Contemporary blind-tooled vellum, with 2 leather straps with brass clasps (later). [12], 448, [27], [3 blank]; [1], [1 blank], [14], 385, [18], [1 blank] pp. Full description

LIVIUS, Titus. Titi Livii deß aller redtsprechsten unnd hochberümptsten geschicht schreibers: Römische Historien ...
Mainz, Ivo Schöffer, 1533. 5 parts in 1 volume. Folio. With 4 elaborate woodcut borders, 279 woodcut illustrations, a decorated woodcut initial, and a woodcut printer's device on the final leaf. Contemporary blind-tooled pigskin over boards, with remnants of brass fittings. [14], CCCCCXLV, [1] ll. Full description

LIVIUS, Titus. Historiarum ab urbe condita, libri qui exstant XXXV cum universae historiae epitomis Caroli Sigonij scholia, quibus ijdem libri, atque epitomae partim emendantur, partim etiam explanantur, ab auctore multis in partibus aucta.
Venice, in aedibus Manutianis (= Paulus Manutius & Aldus Manutius the younger), 1572. 3 parts in 1 volume. Folio.
With title to each part with a large woodcut printer's device surrounded by an allegorical border.
Modern vellum with title in ink on spine, new endpapers. 590, [54], 399, [1 blank]; 109, [1 blank]; 52 pp. Full description

LIVIUS, Titus. De Roomsche historie oft gesten, door den alder welsprekensten ende vernaemsten histori-schrijver Titum Livium beschreven. Waer uut niet alleen alle wereltlijcke staten tot vromicheyt ende ridderlijcke manlijcke feyten beweecht ende ghedronghen, maer oock alle ander staten tot grooter recreatien ende gheneuchten des herten ghetrocken sullen worden.
Leiden, Jan Paedts Jacobszoon & Jan Bouwensz., 1585. 4 parts in 1 volume. Folio. With a general title-page and three divisional titles. Contemporary blind-tooled calf over thick bevelled wooden boards with modern leather ties and straps. [12], 301 ll. Full description

LOBEL [also L'OBEL or LOBELIUS], Matthias de. Kruydtboeck oft beschrijvinghe van allerleye ghewassen, kruyderen, hesteren, ende gheboomten.
Antwerp, Christoffel Plantin, 1581. 2 volumes bound as 1, the second in 3 parts. Large folio. With an engraved title-page, the author's large "candore et spe" woodcut device on leaf *6r, approximately 2185 botanical woodcuts in the text, 8 woodcut decorated (sometimes interlaced) initials plus repeats (6 series) and 1 typographic interlaced initial. Set in fraktur types with extensive roman and textura and incidental italic and civilité. Later (17th-century?) blind tooled vellum. [10], 994, [2 blank], "312"[= 312, 294 + 2 blank], [2 blank], 15, [1 blank], [67], [1 blank] pp. Full description