Details
EURIPIDES (485/84 or 480-407/06 B.C.). Tragoediae quattuor, in Greek: \kMhdeia; Ippolytos; Alkhstis; Andromaxh\K. [Edited by Janus Lascaris (1445-1535). Florence: Laurentius Francisci de Alopa, ca. 1494-95, not after 18 June 1495].
Chancery 4° (213 x 140mm). Collation: A-E f H-K K Λ8 M2, the printed signatures of the last three quires corrected in manuscript, presumably at Lorenzo's shop, to Λ M8 N2 (A1r blank, A1v Greek alphabet and diphthongs, Medea plot, A2v Medea, Δ3r Hippolytus plot, Δ4r Hippolytus, H5v Alcestis plot, H6r Alcestis, K2v Andromache plot, K3r Andromache). 98 leaves. Type 5a and b:114Gk. 28 lines. Initial-spaces. (A1 inserted from another copy, with small holes affecting half a dozen letters, the blank recto side backed with old paper, first two and last leaves very slightly stained.)
Bound for the Harleian Library ca. 1725, perhaps by Christopher Chapman, gold-tooled English red morocco, roll-tooled border of stylized floral ornament on sides and small tools in compartments of spine (none reproduced in H. Nixon "Harleian bindings," Graham Pollard Festschrift 1975, but two different acorn tools may be identical to those on the spines of Maggs Bros. 1075/142, whose bindings show half a dozen undoubted Chapman tools), marbled endpapers, (short splits in front joint, slightly rubbed). Provenance: Robert and/or Edward Harley, 1st and 2nd Earls of Oxford (binding, pressmark); Richard Heber (collection stamp, Sotheby sale pt. I, 10 April 1834, lot 2540, #18 5s to; H.[G.] Bohn, booksellers, on behalf of or sold to; Beriah Botfield.
EDITIO PRINCEPS of four of the most important of Euripides' nineteen extant plays. Only Hippolytus won first prize in a tragic contest (428 B.C.), Alcestis placed second in 438 and Medea third in 431; Andromache dates from about 416, but was not performed at Athens. None of these plays selected by Lascaris for Euripides' first appearance in print was included in the basic Byzantine curriculum. They were reprinted in 1503 by Aldus in his edition of seventeen tragedies. Sophocles and Aeschylus, the other two great tragedians, were not published before the early 16th century.
In the mid-1490s Lorenzo di Alopa's press was the only one to rival Aldus's Greek programme. He "shows in his printing a strong touch of eccentricity and originality, and these qualities may have influenced Laskaris in fixing on him to carry out his plans." (Proctor, Printing of Greek p. 78). The printer's father was Francesco di Alopa, a Venetian typographer, who is known as early as 1483 to have been employed by the Dominicans of San Giacomo di Ripoli to work their press. On the upper-case Greek fount designed by Lascaris, see the note to lot 45 in this sale.
Complete copies of this Euripides are VERY RARE ON THE MARKET. The two most recent copies (Christie-Rylands and Spranger) to be offered at auction were both imperfect. The Harley-Heber copy shows the state of corrected settings as listed in BMC and GW. HC *6697; GW 9431; BMC VI, 667 (IA. 28010); Goff E-115; IGI 3725; Rhodes, Annali 283; Hoffman II, 72; Flodr, Euripides 1.
Chancery 4° (213 x 140mm). Collation: A-E f H-K K Λ8 M2, the printed signatures of the last three quires corrected in manuscript, presumably at Lorenzo's shop, to Λ M8 N2 (A1r blank, A1v Greek alphabet and diphthongs, Medea plot, A2v Medea, Δ3r Hippolytus plot, Δ4r Hippolytus, H5v Alcestis plot, H6r Alcestis, K2v Andromache plot, K3r Andromache). 98 leaves. Type 5a and b:114Gk. 28 lines. Initial-spaces. (A1 inserted from another copy, with small holes affecting half a dozen letters, the blank recto side backed with old paper, first two and last leaves very slightly stained.)
Bound for the Harleian Library ca. 1725, perhaps by Christopher Chapman, gold-tooled English red morocco, roll-tooled border of stylized floral ornament on sides and small tools in compartments of spine (none reproduced in H. Nixon "Harleian bindings," Graham Pollard Festschrift 1975, but two different acorn tools may be identical to those on the spines of Maggs Bros. 1075/142, whose bindings show half a dozen undoubted Chapman tools), marbled endpapers, (short splits in front joint, slightly rubbed). Provenance: Robert and/or Edward Harley, 1st and 2nd Earls of Oxford (binding, pressmark); Richard Heber (collection stamp, Sotheby sale pt. I, 10 April 1834, lot 2540, #18 5s to; H.[G.] Bohn, booksellers, on behalf of or sold to; Beriah Botfield.
EDITIO PRINCEPS of four of the most important of Euripides' nineteen extant plays. Only Hippolytus won first prize in a tragic contest (428 B.C.), Alcestis placed second in 438 and Medea third in 431; Andromache dates from about 416, but was not performed at Athens. None of these plays selected by Lascaris for Euripides' first appearance in print was included in the basic Byzantine curriculum. They were reprinted in 1503 by Aldus in his edition of seventeen tragedies. Sophocles and Aeschylus, the other two great tragedians, were not published before the early 16th century.
In the mid-1490s Lorenzo di Alopa's press was the only one to rival Aldus's Greek programme. He "shows in his printing a strong touch of eccentricity and originality, and these qualities may have influenced Laskaris in fixing on him to carry out his plans." (Proctor, Printing of Greek p. 78). The printer's father was Francesco di Alopa, a Venetian typographer, who is known as early as 1483 to have been employed by the Dominicans of San Giacomo di Ripoli to work their press. On the upper-case Greek fount designed by Lascaris, see the note to lot 45 in this sale.
Complete copies of this Euripides are VERY RARE ON THE MARKET. The two most recent copies (Christie-Rylands and Spranger) to be offered at auction were both imperfect. The Harley-Heber copy shows the state of corrected settings as listed in BMC and GW. HC *6697; GW 9431; BMC VI, 667 (IA. 28010); Goff E-115; IGI 3725; Rhodes, Annali 283; Hoffman II, 72; Flodr, Euripides 1.