Plinius - Historiae mundi - 1548

Plinius Secundus Gaius

Thirty-seven books of world history

Lyon - 1548 -
From the office of Godefridi Beringorum

(16)c, 976col, (18)c; (64)c.
Sign. )(a-b8 a-z6 A-R6 S4 3a-3c6; 2ak6 l4

In large folio - 34.5 x 22.5 cm.
Two-column italic font.


The natural world (nature), understood as a divine place, indispensable for human knowledge.

First estimated edition of the Beringen, with Erasmus’s dedication from the Basel edition of 1525.
BAUDRIER III 46
ADAMS 1571
MORTIMER FRENCH 437
BM. STC. FRENCH 357

Under the supervision of the renowned Czech humanist scholar Sigmund Gelen (1497-1554), a friend and collaborator of Froben

Contains a copious index of Joannes Camers.
(Giovanni Ricucci Vellini).

The Editio Princeps of this world-famous encyclopedia of antiquity appeared in Venice in 1469.
The 37 books, dedicated to Emperor Titus, include mathematics and physics, geography and astronomy, medicine and zoology, physiology, history and anthropology, agriculture, mineralogy, literature and the arts.

The work represents a fundamental synthesis of ancient scientific and naturalistic knowledge.
It is one of the main sources of information on science and life in the 1st century CE, and it basically constitutes the first true encyclopedia to have come down to us.
covering almost every aspect of Roman natural knowledge.

Excellent, evocative, and compact binding, strictly contemporary, in full semi-rigid parchment, with six tying straps running along the spine, all present and intact.
Ancient manuscripts, probably contemporaneous, on the back and at the upper edge of the front plate.
Traces of leather closure cords.

Well-preserved interiors, with fairly fresh, compact, and clean papers.
Sporadic gore, mostly marginal, but not bothersome, with text perfectly legible.
Two-column italic script with handsome ornate initial capitals on a halftone background.
Two separate title pages with publisher's marks bearing the motto “BONA FIDE”.
Small flourishes on the first title page.
Mark is also present on the back of the last card, bearing the motto 'SINE FRAUDE'; on the last card there are small paper flaws and slight wear to the outer edge, but still far from the text.
The original guards are present and well preserved.

Good copy, complete and original in every part.
COLLATED. COMPLETE