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Literature & Linguistics

First edition of an emblem book on the theme of the heart

PONA, Francesco. Cardiomorphoseos sive ex corde desumpta emblemata sacra.
Verona, superiorum permissu, 1645. 4to. With engraved allegorical title-page (signed ''G.G.'' below right) showing King David and Saint Paul holding a heart, with the arms of the dedicatee, Cardinal Jules Mazarin, at the foot, 101 engraved emblems in text, each on the theme of the heart, with a letterpress title in any of about 7 different woodcut panels, and a letterpress explanation below, continuing onto the verso. Each is printed from an oval plate (10.5 x 8 cm). Contemporary sheepskin parchment. [8], 208 pp. Full description
€ 8,950
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Fortune telling for parties and weddings in the 18th century, the incredibly rare second edition

[POPULAR LITERATURE - FORTUNE TELLING]. De vermakelyke heydin, of wonderbare goedergelukzegster, zeggende op een vermakelyke wys, een yder zyn geluk, of ongeluk, wat hem overkomen zal, op twee duyzent, drie hondert en sestig differente manieren.
The Hague, Burger Vermeulen, [second half of the 18th century]. 8vo. With an engraved frontispiece and the title-page printed in red and black. Later red and white floral-patterned decorated paper wrappers. (12),118,(6) pp. Full description
€ 2,950
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Early New Zealand imprint, in the Maori language

[PUCKEY, William Gilbert and William COLENSO (translator)]. Ko nga upoko ewitu o te Pukapuka a te Poropiti a Raniera: me te Pukapuka ano hoki a te Poropiti a Hona: ...
Paihia (New Zealand), "Perehi o nga Mihanere" (= Missionary Press [operated by William Colenso]), 1840. Large 12mo (20 x 12 cm). contemporary grey paper wrapper. 32 pp. Full description
€ 2,500
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One of the first small-format editions of a classic textbook on rhetoric, with a message for today

QUINTILIANUS, Marcus Fabius. [De institutione oratoria].
(Colophon: Florence, Filippo I Giunta, October 1515). Small 8vo (14.5 x 10 cm). With a title-page containing only the author's name, but with the title in the heading to liber I, and Giunti's woodcut device on the verso of the otherwise blank final leaf. Set entirely in an Aldine-style italic (with upright capitals). Vellum (ca. 1850?). [4], "269" [= 367], [1] ll. Full description
€ 3,950
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Important first Aldine edition of the Roman world's greatest work on rhetoric

QUINTILIANUS, Marcus Fabius. [Institutiones oratoriae].
(Colophon: Venice, "aedibus Aldi et Andreae soceri" [= Aldus Manutius & Andre Torresani d'Asola], August 1514). 4to. With Aldus's famous woodcut anchor device on the title-page, repeated on the back of the last text page. Gold-tooled red morocco (ca. 1700), rebacked and given a black morocco spine label in the 19th century. [4], 230 ll. Full description
€ 5,000
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Second Aldine edition of the most important Roman work on rhetoric, from the library of Joseph Romilly

QUINTILIANUS, Marcus Fabius. Institutionum oratorium libri XII diligentius recogniti M D XXII. Index capitum totius operis. Conversio dictionum Graecarum, quas ipse author in latinum non transtulit.
(Colophon: Venice "In Aedibus Aldi, et Andreae soceri" [= André d'Asola & sons], January 1521 [= 1522]). Narrow 4to in 8s (21 x 13 cm). With Aldus's anchor and dolphin publisher's device on the first and last pages. Set entirely in a single size of Aldine italic, with some headings, running heads, etc., set in its (upright) capitals. Gold-tooled red morocco (ca. 1700), each board with delicate centre-piece a petit fers, rebacked in gold-tooled red morocco. [4], 230 ll. Full description
€ 4,500
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First accurate printed Quran (both the Arabic text and the Latin translation), with extensive valuable notes
from Islamic commentaries and anti-Islamic "refutations" of every sura! plus a life of Muhammed

[QURAN - ARABIC & LATIN]. MARRACCI, Ludovico (editor). Alcorani textus universus ex correctioribus Arabum exemplaribus summa fide, ... Eadem fide, ... in Latinum translatus; appositis unicuique capiti notis, atque refutatione: ...
[vol. 2 title:] Refutatio Alcorani, in qua ad Mahumetanicae superstitionis radicem securis apponitur; ...
Padova, Typographia Seminaria, 1698. 2 volumes bound as 1. Folio (35.5 x 25 cm). Blind-tooled vellum (ca. 1800?), reusing and retooling vellum from a slightly earlier blind-tooled binding. [5], [1 blank], 45, [2], [1 blank], 46, [2], 81, [3], 94, [10], 126, [3] [1 blank] [13], [1 blank]; [8], 17, [3], “838” [= 836], [11], [1 blank] pp. Full description
€ 25,000
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Racine's famous play, for the first time in Portuguese

RACINE, Jean and Antonio José de Lima LEITÃO (translator). Iphigénia tragédia de João Racine. Traduzida em verso portuguez, e offerecida como uma prova da mais sincera gratidão.
Rio de Janeiro, Impressão règia, 1816. 8vo. With a woodcut printer's device on the title-page. Contemporary blue-grey wrappers. [8], 53, [3 blank] pp. Full description
€ 1,950
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Baron Munchhausen's surprising travels

[RASPE, Rudolf Erich]. "Complete Original Edition" of the surprising travels and adventures of Baron Munchausen, in Russia, the Caspian Sea, Iceland, Turkey, Egypt, Gibraltar, up the Mediterranean, on the Atlantic Ocean, and through the centre of Mount Aetna, into the South Sea. Also, an account of a voyage into the Moon and Dog Star ... A sequel, containing his expedition into Africa... humbly dedicated to Mr. Bruce.
London, R.S. Kirby, 1819. 2 parts in 1 volume. 12mo. With a hand-coloured portrait of Baron Munchhausen as a frontispiece, and 27 hand-coloured engraved plates, including 8 folding. Contemporary gold-tooled calf, with a red morocco title label lettered in gold on the spine, gold-tooled board edges and turn-ins, marbled endpapers, bound by Wallis (stamp on verso of first flyleaf). Kept in a marbled paper (and brown calf fore edge) slip case. XII, 179, [1] pp. Full description
€ 2,000
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Including the first edition of the life of Reynard's son Reynardine

[REYNARD THE FOX]. The most delectable history of Reynard the Fox. Newly corrected and purged...
London, Thomas Ilive for Edward Brewster,1701.
With:
(2) [REYNARD THE FOX]. The most pleasant and delightful history of Reynard the Fox. The second part. ...
London, Anne Maxwell and Robert Roberts for Edward Brewster, 1681.
(3) [REYNARD THE FOX, ADDITIONS]. The shifts of Reynardine the son of Reynard the Fox, ...
London, Thomas James for Edward Brewster and Thomas Passenger, 1684. 3 parts in 1 volume. 4to.
With woodcut of King Lion's court on title-page, 61 woodcuts in text of part 1 (including 23 repeats), 15 woodcuts in part 2, all repeated from part 1. Late 18th-century calf. [160]; [112]; [4], 160 pp. Full description
€ 6,500
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