Beschreibung:

DIALOGES OF CREATURES MORALYSED]. -- The Dialoges of Creatures Moralysed. Applyably and edificatyfly, to euery mery and iocounde mater, of late tra[n]slated out of latyn into our Englysshe tonge right profitable to the gouernaunce of man. And they be to sell, vpo[n] Powlys churche yarde . [Antwerp: Jan van Doesborch, 1530?].
DIALOGES OF CREATURES MORALYSED]. -- The Dialoges of Creatures Moralysed. Applyably and edificatyfly, to euery mery and iocounde mater, of late tra[n]slated out of latyn into our Englysshe tonge right profitable to the gouernaunce of man. And they be to sell, vpo[n] Powlys churche yarde . [Antwerp: Jan van Doesborch, 1530?]. The first edition in English. The extremely fine and complete Heber copy of an exceedingly scarce edition of The Dialoges of Creatures Moralysed . This Antwerp-printed but English language version of the popular late medieval text Dialogus creaturarum moralizatus is a charming example of illustrated fable text. The work comprises a collection of 123 fables, divided into seven parts (on the heavenly bodies, the four elements, gemstones, plants, fish, birds and animals). Each dialogue serves to illustrate a moral or lesson. The authorship of these fables, some of which derive from Aesop, is variously attributed to Nicolaus Pergaminus and to Mayno de’ Mayneri. References in the text point to an origin in northern Italy in the 14th century. First published by Leeu at Gouda in 1480, The Dialoges proved immensely popular, and it appeared in many editions and translations soon after. The place, date and printer of this edition are conjectured in STC; it had previously been attributed to M. de Keyser at Antwerp. Extremely rare: according to online book auction databases the last perfect copy to appear on the market was the Luttrell copy in 1936, prior to that the Hoe copy in 1911 . 4to (179 x 126 mm). Black letter. Woodcut on title and title verso, numerous woodcut illustrations in the text flanked by woodcut ornamental columns or border panels, the final leaf contains woodcuts on recto and verso, numerous woodcut initials. (Tear crossing text on H3 mended, marginal repair on RR2, occasional minor marginal soiling, a few stains.) 18th-century red goatskin gilt, sides gilt tooled with a border of a dog-tooth roll and a large roll incorporating insect tools, possibly by Alexander Thompson of Oxford, spine gilt with lettering-piece (rebacked preserving original spine); quarter morocco slipcase. Provenance : a few leaves with some early ink marginalia -- Richard Heber (1773-1833; small rectangular stamp removed on upper corner front flyleaf; his sale….) -- John Dunn Gardner (1811-1903), noted English book collector (his sale, Sotheby’s 6 July 1854, lot 638), to -- bookseller Joseph Lilly (pencil purchase note “Dunn Gardner 1854 ” and below “Lilly” and presumably his pencil notes on front flyleaf), on behalf of -- Henry Huth (1815-1878; his sale…). ESTC S105313; STC 6815.