Beschreibung:

Johannes Balbus Catholicon. Venice: Johannes Hamman for Petrus Liechtenstein 28 February 1497/98 Median folio (326 x 212mm.), 312 leaves, a-x8 y6 A-I L-P8 Q-S6 T8, double column, 69 lines plus headline, woodcut initials, woodcut printer's device at end, EARLY ANNOTATIONS including the English terms for some of the words ("Anglice abbesse", "to draw away or to withdrawe", "Merdifer a gongferemer" [farmer], etc) in first few leaves and at end, contemporary English stamped calf over wooden boards BY THE HUNTSMAN BINDER, some deckle edges, early printed waste in binding, some staining at beginning, binding worn, spine repaired at head and foot, lacking both clasps A copy of Balbus's dictionary with early English provenance. It must have been present in England very soon after publication; Oldham states that bindings from the Huntsman Binder appear on books dated from 1477 to 1498. PROVENANCEThomas Griffith, his manuscript will written on verso of flyleaf ("Thys will was made ye xxviith Day of Aprell...") and note of ownership at end ("Iste liber constat Thome Griffith ap Oweyn"); early note on verso of title page with the price 4s 4d, stating that William Wyssheter gave the book to the priory of St Frideswide (Oxford), then sold to William Moll for 2s 6d [listed in Ker, MLGB3, though doubtful whether it arrived at the monastery]; D.L. Cumming, signature on flyleaf LITERATUREISTC ib00034000; Oldham, English Blind-Stamped Bindings, plate XXV, tools 332, 334 and 337Condition reportCondition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate Condition 11 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers (Online Only) is not applicable to this lot. The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The