Poggio Bracciolini.

Poggii Florentini oratoris clarissimi, ac sedis apo. Secretarii Operum Primae/secundae partis (in 1 vol.). (On the last text leaf:) Strasbourg, Johann Schott for Johannes Knobloch, 1513. Fol. 184 foliated leaves, 1 leaf, 1 white leaf. Title printed in red and black. With a folio-sized woodcut by Urs Graf (on p. 88v) and 16 (partly repeated) large woodcut initials, four of which are by Hans Baldung Grien. Modern half leather binding (signed Hedberg) with gilt-stamped spine title. VD16 ZV 12623, Adams P-1708, Fairfax Murray, German Books, 340, Hollstein, Urs Graf 299, third edition of the works of Poggio Bracciolini (1380-1459), greatly expanded compared to the editions of 1510 and 1511 and, like all editions prior to the Basel edition of 1538, extremely rare. The index lists 32 pieces that are available here in the first edition, including the translation of Lucius "Asinus", the forerunner of the better-known "Golden Ass" by Apuleius. As well as the bitter and defamatory attacks on his fellow countryman and fellow humanist Lorenzo Valla and many of the letters printed in the second part. The second part also contains the complete reprint of the Facetiae; these were not bound with many copies. The volume also contains one of the earliest descriptions of the baths of Baden in the canton of Aargau (fol. 113ff: "Poggi Florentini de Balneis prope Thuregum sitis descriptio"). The very beautiful woodcut by Urs Graf appears here in the first edition. It shows Joab killing his cousin Amasa; the caption above it reads: "In L. Vallam Livoris et Invidiae typus". The present copy corresponds in collation with the copy described by Adams under P-1708 and ends with a six-position "H". Overall a good copy, with wide margins, only slightly stained and with occasional traces of moisture. A few worm marks in the lower margin (sometimes touching the text). The most significant damage is the large hole on fol. 58, caused by the blackening of the top third of the leaf with brown ink, which caused ink erosion. The passage concerns the "Concubitus asini" in Lucius' "Asinus". The damage is fixed with a strip of Japanese paper. The numerous marginalia and other cross-outs in the "Asinus" (fol. 53 recto and verso) are possibly by the same (strictly contemporary) hand. The ownership entry on the title refers to the Franciscan monastery of Lucerne - perhaps the text was too permissive for the monks? The later entry on the title page reads: "Liber Prohibitus à Concillio Tridentino". On the flyleaf endpaper an ownership entry by Baron Per Hierta, Främmestad, dated 1906.