Lot 272

[Kempis, Thomas, A]

Rare Books, Manuscripts & Photographs

Auction: Rare Books, Manuscripts & Photographs | 09 May 2007

£4,080

Description

De imitatione Christi [with] Gerson John. De meditatione cordis. Venice: Petrus de Quarengiis and Giovanni Maria di Occimiano, 23rd April 1493. 8vo. 88 unnumbered leaves, Gothic letter, double column, 35 lines and headline, rubricated throughout, 19th century panelled plum morocco, gilt dentelles and spine, a.e.g., very light paper discolouration, a couple of small and faint oil spots, recto of first and recto and verso of last blank extensively annotated in Latin, brown ink, in a fine contemporary italic hand

Footnote

Note: BMC V p. 511; Goff I 28. Hain 9107; Not in Brunet or Graesse.

An early edition which still assigns the Imitatio to Gerson rather than à Kempis, and which bears extensive contemporary scholarly annotations on the first and last leaves. They deal with after-life justice and eternal torments, quote Pope Gregory on laying down one's arms and doing good, and discuss Baptism and absolution from sin. The hand is large, clear and legible. Almost all the early editions of the Imitatio are rare, as it was a popular devotional text read and reread to extinction.

Provenance: From the library of Estelle Doheny, with her label on pastedown.