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Octavianus Scotus, 1483
Details
Statius's Opera
Octavianus Scotus, 1483
STATIUS, Publius Papinus (c.45-96). Opera. –OVID (Ps.? 43-c.18). Sappho Phaoni. With commentaries by Lactantius, Mataratius, and Calderinus. Venice: Octavianus Scotus, 2 December 1483.
First edition of the complete works of Statius, the prince of Silver Latin letters. Statius is best known for his epic poems composed during the reign of Domitian, the Thebaid and the unfinished Achilleid, which enjoyed pride of place in the Medieval school curriculum. His occasional poems, known as the Silvae, faded from popularity in the 7th century until their "rediscovery" by Poggio Braccolini at Reichenau Abbey in the early 15th. Statius’s own continuing fame is perhaps best reflected in Dante’s placement of the ancient author in the Purgatorio, working towards salvation. Prior to the present edition, each of these works appeared separately but all early editions are quite rare at auction. This is the first place where the poet’s works appear all together, accompanied by commentaries as well as the disputed text of Ovid’s letter of Sappho to Phaon, often found accompanying the Sylvae in early editions. A few bibliographers have reported a 1475 edition of the complete works, but Dibdin declares it "entirely ficticious" and identifies the present edition as the first. Only one other complete copy has been recorded at auction by ABPC and RBH. HC 14976*; BMC V 278; BSB-Ink S-536; Bod-inc S-286; IGI 9144; Dibdin Spenceriana 446; Moss 611 ("very rare"); Goff S-691; ISTC is00691000.
Super-chancery folio (310 x 208mm). 230 leaves. Large red and green pen-flourished initials and smaller red, blue, and green flourished initials, capital strokes and paragraph marks in red (very light dampstain affecting some margins). Early blindstamped pigskin over pasteboard, knotted vellum index tabs, front pastedown a reused manuscript antiphonal leaf and printed calendar, title in ink on bottom edge (some repairs). Provenance: armorial bookplate with initials BAZW (identified in Schullian as possibly the abbot of Walderbach, Bavaria) – Weissenau, Premonstratensians (inscription on f1, religious house dissolved in 1802) – Pouget de Nadaillac family (book-label with “Virtus in Haeredes” and image of Melusine).
Octavianus Scotus, 1483
STATIUS, Publius Papinus (c.45-96). Opera. –OVID (Ps.? 43-c.18). Sappho Phaoni. With commentaries by Lactantius, Mataratius, and Calderinus. Venice: Octavianus Scotus, 2 December 1483.
First edition of the complete works of Statius, the prince of Silver Latin letters. Statius is best known for his epic poems composed during the reign of Domitian, the Thebaid and the unfinished Achilleid, which enjoyed pride of place in the Medieval school curriculum. His occasional poems, known as the Silvae, faded from popularity in the 7th century until their "rediscovery" by Poggio Braccolini at Reichenau Abbey in the early 15th. Statius’s own continuing fame is perhaps best reflected in Dante’s placement of the ancient author in the Purgatorio, working towards salvation. Prior to the present edition, each of these works appeared separately but all early editions are quite rare at auction. This is the first place where the poet’s works appear all together, accompanied by commentaries as well as the disputed text of Ovid’s letter of Sappho to Phaon, often found accompanying the Sylvae in early editions. A few bibliographers have reported a 1475 edition of the complete works, but Dibdin declares it "entirely ficticious" and identifies the present edition as the first. Only one other complete copy has been recorded at auction by ABPC and RBH. HC 14976*; BMC V 278; BSB-Ink S-536; Bod-inc S-286; IGI 9144; Dibdin Spenceriana 446; Moss 611 ("very rare"); Goff S-691; ISTC is00691000.
Super-chancery folio (310 x 208mm). 230 leaves. Large red and green pen-flourished initials and smaller red, blue, and green flourished initials, capital strokes and paragraph marks in red (very light dampstain affecting some margins). Early blindstamped pigskin over pasteboard, knotted vellum index tabs, front pastedown a reused manuscript antiphonal leaf and printed calendar, title in ink on bottom edge (some repairs). Provenance: armorial bookplate with initials BAZW (identified in Schullian as possibly the abbot of Walderbach, Bavaria) – Weissenau, Premonstratensians (inscription on f1, religious house dissolved in 1802) – Pouget de Nadaillac family (book-label with “Virtus in Haeredes” and image of Melusine).
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Eugenio Donadoni
Senior Specialist, Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts