Beschreibung:

PSALTER, polyglot -- Psalterium Hebraeum, Graecum, Arabicum, & Chaldaeum, cum tribus latinis interpretationibus & glossis . Ed. Agostino Giustiniani. Genoa: Pietro Paolo Porro in the house of Nicolo Giustiniani Paulo, November 1516. Imperial 4° (335 x 230mm). Collation: A 10 B-Z & 8 \\n 6 . 200 leaves. Hebrew, Arabic, Greek and Roman types, quadruple column to the page, 41 lines. Title printed in red and black within fine woodcut arabesque border, headings at the beginning of the text printed in red, printer's woodcut device, woodcut floriated initials. Late-16th-century French calf, gilt arabesque ornament blocked in centre of the covers, 18th-century blue morocco spine with title and Lamoignon shelfmark in gilt on red morocco lettering-pieces, gilt edges, (top of spine chipped). Provenance : Chrétien-François de Lamoignon II (1735-89), Garde des Sceaux de France (bookplate, 1791 Paris sale, Herigot jeune , lot 6); George John 2nd Earl Spencer (acq. no. 7779, 3rd March 1821 London duplicate sale, Evans, lot 253, £2 to John and Arthur Arch of Cornhill, London, for or sold to); Charles Barclay (armorial bookplate), author of Letters from the Dorking Emigrants who went to Upper Canada (London: Arch, 1833). FIRST POLYGLOT EDITION. The second book printed in Arabic, and the only book printed at the only early-16th-century press of Genoa. Giustiniani, bishop of Nebbio, expressly summoned Porro from Turin to Genoa for the Psalter's printing. The texts in eight parallel columns on double pages comprise Hebrew, a literal Latin translation from the Hebrew, the Vulgate version, the Septuagint (Greek), Arabic, Aramaic (Chaldee), a literal Latin translation from the Chaldee, and scholia in the same languages. The size of the edition was 2,000 paper copies and 50 on vellum. The editor's commentary on Psalm 19 includes a long note on Christopher Columbus's life and American discoveries. FINE COPY. Isaac 13825; Adams B-1370; Sander 5957; Harrisse 88.