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Augustine's Sermons

Lot 4
07.12.2022 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 17 640
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
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Archive
ID 859576
Lot 4 | Augustine's Sermons
Estimate value
$ 10 000 – 20 000
AUGUSTINUS, Aurelius (354-430). Sermones. Basel: Johann Amerbach, 1494-95.

Doheny copy of the first collected edition of the Sermons of Augustine, one volume the gift of Hilprand Brandenburg to the Buxheim Carthusians and with a hand-colored woodcut, both volumes in contemporary bindings. Augustine, a native of North Africa, played a pivotal role in the development of Christian theology in the Latin-speaking world. In addition to leaving behind a large body of philosophical treatises, he was a skilled preacher, trained in the Roman arts of rhetoric from a young age and recognized for his silver tongue in the service of God. This first collected edition of his sermons was edited by Augustinus Dodo of Frisia, whom the printer, Johann Amerbach, had sent on a mission across Germany to search for manuscripts of Augustine's writings. In this set, the first volume is from the library of Hilprand Brandenburg, one of the most prolific book collectors of this period (although his famous bookplate, as often, does not survive here). The second volume seems to have spent much of its early life in Augsburg, and is heavily annotated—most extensively around the Easter section. Susan V. Lenkey has argued that the woodcut of the Augustinian seal in this volume was designed by Albrecht Dürer during his time in Basel. A vitally important work with celebrated provenance, complete with all blanks. Bod-inc A-556; BMC III 756; BSB-Ink A-892; GW 2920; Goff A-1308; ISTC ia01308000.

Two volumes, chancery folio (312 x 218mm and 305 x 214mm). Parts I-V: 76 + 82 + 58 + 30 + 56 leaves; Parts VI-VIII: 256 + 44 leaves (extra blank sheet bound around quire A in part II; part VI index bound at end of part VII).

Vol. I: Red Lombard initials, underlining, paragraph marks, and capital strokes. Full-page hand-colored woodcut of Augustine preaching (a few closed marginal tears, some areas of smudged rubricator's ink). Contemporary Ulm blindstamped pigskin over wooden boards [EBDB w000060, Ulm Augustiner-Chorherrenstift I], straps and catchplates, fore-edge title, index tabs marking parts, faded manuscript title on spine and old paper library label (hinges repaired). Provenance: Hilprand Brandenburg of Biberach, 1442-1514 (facsimile of bookplate and inscription by Buxheim librarian Jakob Louber noting gift to) – Carthusians of Buxheim (gift inscription and later stamp; not in the 1883 Munich sale of Buxheim books) – Estelle Doheny (morocco book label; her sale, Christie's, part I, 22 October 1987, lot 62).

Vol. II: Full-page woodcut of the Augustinian seal (dampstained around margins, worming, sometimes in text, but worst at ends, some sheets browned). Contemporary blindstamped half pigskin over wooden boards, index tab (lacking clasps and catchplates; front flyleaf partially adhered to board). Provenance: Jacob Kock (canon of Augsburg, inscription dated 1581) – Balthasar Seydler, canon of St Mauritius, Augsburg (inscription dated 1622) – Capuchins of Deggendorf, Lower Bavaria (inscription; religious house dissolved 1802) – Munich Royal Library Duplicate – Estelle Doheny (morocco book label; her sale, Christie's, part I, 22 October 1987, lot 62).
Genre:Religious genre
Place of origin:Switzerland
Auction house category:Antiquarian books, Printed books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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23.11.2022 – 07.12.2022
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