Opera

Woodcut printer's device on title-page, title in red and black, two full-page woodcuts and two folding woodcut plates, woodcuts in text, ornamental woodcut headpieces and initials, ruled in red.

4to (274x195mm). [394]ff, [2] folding plates. Eighteenth-century red morocco, upper and lower boards with triple gilt fillet, spine with leafy foliage, gilt, title at head, gilt armorial at foot, gilt edges (rebacked with original spine laid down, upper joint split, waterstaining, scuffing to upper board and extremities).  

Bordeaux: Simon Millanges, 

First edition of the works of the 4th century Latin poet of Bordeaux, Ausonius, to be edited by classical scholar, and tutor of Joseph Scaliger, Élie Vinet (1509-1587).

The present edition is beautifully illustrated, with two fine folding plates of Le Palais Tutele and L'Amphitheatre of Bordeaux, here in excellent condition on uncut leaves, a full-page map of the city and a full page woodcut of the Augustus Altar. The learned humanist Vinet, principal of the College de Guyenne (founded in Bordeaux in 1533) persuaded a former teacher at the college, Simon Millanges, in 1572 to establish a printing house. The young Millanges as well as publishing more traditional works such as Ausonius was keen to find original material and it was he who first published Montaigne.

Provenance: Nineteenth-century armorial bookplate of Charles William Hamilton Sotheby (1820-1887) with his name and motto 'Ou Bien, Ou Rien' on front pastedown. In 1881 he inherited Ecton Hall, Northamptonshire; this volume not listed in catalogue for Col. H. G. Sotheby's sale of the library there (Sotheby's, 24 July, 1924). 

Minor browning and spotting in places, otherwise a clean copy in good condition.

Adams A2282. BMSTC (French), p. 36. Not in Mortimer.

Stock Code: 246094