Psaltērion.
Justinus Decadyus (b. 1472)
Category
Books
Date
1496 - 1498
Materials
Place of origin
Venice
Collection
Blickling Hall, Norfolk
NT 3069219
Summary
Bibliographic description
[150] leaves ; 4to. Running number: 7081. First line of text on leaf [iota]1r supplied in pen and ink in the hand of Aldus Manutius, who went through most copies adding the omitted line. Provenance: manuscript inscription at head of title page: "Bibliothecae Colbertinae" [i.e. from the library of the bibliophile Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683), chief minister of France to Louis XIV; possibly written by Colbert’s librarian Étienne Baluze (1630-1718)]. Colbert’s library was dispersed at a sale in Paris, 24 May-21 October 1728. Manuscript numbers (sale numbers?) above ownership inscription on title page: "MCCCCVII" (crossed through) and "526". Library of Sir Richard Ellys (1682-1742) of Nocton, Lincolnshire. Manuscript inscription on front fly-leaf: "M. Psalterium" [i.e. catalogue code and title note written by John Mitchell (ca. 1685-1751), librarian to Sir Richard Ellys]; with Mitchell's manuscript code at foot of leaf: "ι'." [i.e. iota' = Greek number 10]. Manuscript letter pasted onto verso of front fly-leaf, from the Huguenot bibliographer Michael Maittaire (1667-1747) to Sir Richard Ellys, written in Latin and dated 1 May 1736; Maittaire begins the letter with a playful account of how he negotiated with a bookseller to acquire this book (presumably on behalf of Ellys) before going on to a serious discussion on the dating of the Psalter based on the use of Aldus's Greek types; Maittaire concludes that this book was printed sometime after 1495 and certainly before 1500. Manuscript inscriptions in ink on front pastedown: "103" and "Theol - 2". Manuscript numbers on front fly-leaf: "4211" and "7". Binding: contemporary or early sixteenth-century Greek-style Venetian binding; full brown goatskin over wooden boards grooved at the edges; recessed cords, flat spine; blind-tooled panel design on covers of double think-thick-thin fillets, the outer and middle panels with different floriated rolls; central panel of upper cover gold-tooled with Greek title '.Α. | ΨΑΛΤΗΡ | ΙΟΝ.' and sacred IHS (or YHS) symbol within circular frame with four curls, blind fleurons at the corners; central panel of lower cover gold-tooled with sacred IHS (or YHS) symbol within circular frame with four curls, blind fleurons at the corners; two sets of three holes in fore-edge of lower cover for pair of clasps (missing), two holes for catches (missing) in grooved edge of upper board; undecorated spine; gilt edges gauffered with ropework and dotted pattern. Spine rebacked in goatskin with original spine retained. Pencil inscription in the hand of Cecil Clarabut (the National Trust's first Libraries Adviser) on front pastedown: "Repaired at Cambridge, 1955". Conservator's typescript note describing the binding repairs attached to rear pastedown, signed and dated 'Nicholas Pickwoad 17 January 1986'. In buckram book box.
Makers and roles
Justinus Decadyus (b. 1472), editor Aldo Manuzio the Elder (1449/50 - 1515), printer