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DIALOGUS MIRACULORUM.
([Cologne: Ulrich Zel, about 1475]). 294 x 216 mm. (11 1/2 x 8 1/2"). [309] leaves (of 310, without initial blank). TEXT COMPLETE. Double column, 35 lines plus headline in gothic type. Two volumes. FIRST EDITION.
Quite attractive 19th century dark green pebble-grain morocco, gilt, by C. Smith (stamp signed on verso of front free endpaper), covers framed by multiple thick and thin gilt rules, rosettes at corners, raised bands, spine compartments with gilt frames in the Romantic style, gilt lettering, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Rubricated in red, paragraph marks and one- to six-line initials in red. Front pastedowns with engraved bookplates of John Hayford Thorold and Syston Park; front free endpapers with engraved bookplate of John William Pease and ex-libris of Hanns-Theo Schmitz-Otto; first page of each volume inscribed in ink "Liesborn" (Benedictine Abbey of Sts. Cosmas, Damian, and Simeon in Westphalia); rear pastedowns with Lord Wardington's bookplate. Goff C-30; BMC I, 195; ISTC ic0003000. Spines slightly faded (but gilt still bright), covers slightly mottled, a hint of wear to joints and extremities, but the elegant bindings entirely solid and altogether pleasing. Last gathering with neat repairs to a scattering of tiny, harmless wormholes, minor imperfections here and there (a small repaired tear, isolated smudges, a handful of leaves with dampstains), but an excellent copy internally--clean, fresh, and bright, with ample margins and few signs of use.
With distinguished provenance, this is an extremely attractive and excessively rare copy of the first printing of a substantial 13th century work of great importance as a source-book for much of our understanding of Medieval life. Presented in an instructive and entertaining fashion, this "Dialogue of Miracles" is based on the lessons the Cistercian monk Caesarius (ca. 1170 - ca. 1240) imparted to his pupils when he was the novice master at the Heisterback monastery. Divided into 12 sections, it deals with Conversion, Contrition, Confession, Temptation, Demons, Simplicity, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Diverse Visions, the Mass, Miracles, Dying, and the Punishment and Glory of the Dead. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Caesarius' "purpose was not to relate facts of history, but to entertain and edify his readers. He accomplished this purpose most successfully. Though his 'Dialogue' is merely a collection of ascetical romances, it has become one of the most important sources for the history of civilization during the thirteenth century. It presents to our view a living panorama of all that the student of the history of civilization cares to know. Popes and emperors, priests and monks, rich and poor, learned and illiterate, good and bad, all sorts and conditions of men, pass before our vision as if we were living among them." When E. P. Goldschmidt offered a copy of this in 1932, his catalogue entry said that this collection "is one of the richest store-houses of hundreds of stories illustrating the daily life of the Middle-Ages as well as miraculous occurrences, legends and historical traditions from which endless material may be and has been gathered not only by modern historians but also by writers of the Renaissance." Ulrich Zel (or Zell) was not only the first printer in Cologne, but (along with Peter Schoeffer) was active longer than any other member of his profession during the incunabular period. He apparently printed his first book in 1464 and was still at work at century's end (suggested dates of his death vary from 1501 to 1507). He identified himself as "clericus" (one of the Church's minor orders) while in Mainz, where he was reported to have learned his craft under Johann Fust and Schoeffer, and both the nature of his typefaces and the high quality of his press work show a close connection with his masters. Our volume was once part of two great English libraries. Established by Sir John Thorold around 1775 and expanded by his son John Hayford Thorold 40 years later, the Syston Park library in Lincolnshire "was so large and so excellent" as to be ranked by Quaritch with the great libraries of Sunderland, Beckford, and Spencer, and the library's books are well known for their consistently fine condition. The prestigious Wardington library was begun by the British banker John William Beaumont Pease, 1st Baron Wardington (1869-1950), who was especially interested in Medieval manuscripts and incunabula. His son Christopher Henry ("Bic") Beaumont Pease, 2nd Lord Wardington (1924-2005) continued adding to the library; Sotheby's disposed of the collections in four auctions held in 2005-06 that brought in £17,309,862 ($31,698,481). This was a record for any related group of book sales in London. Our copy sold for £11,400 (approximately $22,450) in that sale. As a work of major importance, our first printing of the "Dialogus" is well represented in institutional libraries, but it is of great rarity in the marketplace: in addition to the present set, we were able to trace just the Goldschmidt copy mentioned above and one owned by William Poor offered by Anderson Galleries in 1908. (ST19964-03)
Price: $38,000.00