Lot 114
Divkrovic, Matie
Rare Books, Manuscripts & Photographs
Auction: 16 January 2008 at 11:00 GMT
Description
Nauk' Karstianski ... Divitse Marie. Venice: Pietro Maria Bertano, 1611. First edition, 2 parts in 1 volume, 8vo, lacking titlepages, woodcut illustrations and occasional decorations, contemporary calf, spine in four compartments each containing a large blindstamped floret, covers ruled in straight and chain-patterned lines into a large central diamond, with a triangular compartment at each corner in which a floret, larger entwined floral pattern at centre, light rubbing to edges, clasps intact, with contemporary (?) signature at beginning in a cursive Slavonic script, later Slavonic annotation here and elsewhere, some paper discolouration, a few small stains and marginal worm holes, larger only towards beginning (repaired on first two leaves), a few leaves strengthened at inner margin towards end
Footnote
Note: BM STC 17th century Italian Books p. 304.
First edition of the first printed translations in old church Slavonic from the Doctrina Christiana by Cardinal Robert Bellarmine, this rare and singular example of early Slavonic printing (the only recorded from this printer) carries woodcut religious images very much in the contemporary Latin or Italian style. The 'Doctrina' were a layman's catechistical guide by Europe's leading Jesuit theologian and were widely disseminated in languages including Congolese and Chaldean. The quite early production of the present edition was perhaps due in part to the well-established ties between the printing capital of Venice and the Dalmatian and Istrian coasts.