Alvarus Pelagius (Álvaro Pelayo, c. 1280–1352) - De planctu ecclesie desideratissimi libri duo et indice copiosissimo et marginariis additionibus - 1517

(ULTRA-RARE 1517) Alvarus Pelagius – De Planctu Ecclesiae – Lyon, Johann Clein for Jean Petit – Original Blind-Stamped Wooden Binding & Prestigious 1674 Franciscan Provenance

Detailed Lot Description:
A POST-INCUNABULA MASTERPIECE OF EXCEPTIONAL RARITY AND SUPREME HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE

We are proud to offer at auction a museum-grade copy of the monumental treatise on canon law and medieval political philosophy, "De planctu ecclesie" (The Complaint of the Church), written by the Franciscan theologian Alvarus Pelagius (c. 1280–1352). Printed in 1517 in Lyon by the renowned typographer Johann Clein, in collaboration with the prestigious Parisian publisher Jean Petit, this large Folio volume is a true monument of early European printing.

This specific copy is exceptional and nearly unique on the global market for several critical reasons:

1. Rarity Level: Top 5% Globally
According to institutional records, only about 40 to 50 copies of this specific 1517 edition are documented worldwide. The vast majority are permanently held in closed institutional collections (such as the Bibliothèque nationale de France or the Bavarian State Library).
This specific copy is currently the only one known to be available on the open European market. While a limited number of other copies (approximately 40–50 worldwide) are locked away forever in closed institutional archives and state libraries, this item represents a completely unique opportunity for private collectors, being the sole specimen accessible on the free market.

2. Intact Original 1517 Binding (A Critical Value Factor)
Most of the 40-50 surviving copies in public libraries were rebound during the 18th or 19th centuries for preservation purposes.
This copy retains its original, contemporary 1517 binding. It features full calfskin stretched over thick, original wooden boards (ais de bois). The leather is beautifully decorated with blind-stamped rolls featuring French Renaissance motifs. It is estimated that only 10-15% of surviving copies worldwide still retain their original wooden bindings, placing this piece in the highest tier of collectibility.

3. Certified Historical Provenance
The historical value is significantly enhanced by a perfectly legible, rare manuscript ownership note on the title page: "De Conventu Belnensi Fratrum Minorum, anno 1674". This indisputably proves that for centuries, the book belonged to the library of the historic Franciscan Monastery (Friars Minor) in Beaune, France. Certified provenance of this caliber is precisely what major international collectors and auction houses look for.

4. Impeccable Interior Condition
Despite being over half a millennium old (509 years), the preservation of the text block is remarkable:
4.1. Completeness: The volume is entirely complete, with no missing leaves or text.
4.2. Paper Quality: The 16th-century handmade rag paper remains crisp, dense, and bright, completely free from water stains, dampness, or significant foxing.
4.3. Luxury Typography: The text is printed in Gothic type in two colors (red and black), enriched with large, beautifully executed woodcut initials (most notably the large letter "P" at the beginning of the text).

5. Absolute Historical Authenticity
The external leather binding and wooden boards exhibit historic wormholes (carii), mechanical rubbing, and normal edge wear (pp. 1-2). These are not modern defects of neglect; they represent the genuine 500-year-old patina and serve as an undeniable hallmark of its antiquity and authenticity.
A volume of this magnitude—reuniting an original 1517 wooden binding, a documented 1674 monastic provenance, and a complete, clean interior—comes onto the open market only once every few decades. A singular opportunity for refined bibliophiles and investors in rare books.