Beschreibung:

PSALTERY, with Canticles, in Greek and Latin. Edited by Johannes Crastonus (fl. 15th century, O. Carm.), Milan: [Bonus Accursius], 20 September 1481. Royal half-sheet 4° (280 x 200mm). Collation: π 2 (1r blank, 1v-2v editor's dedicatory letter to Ludovicus Donatus, Bishop of Bergamo); a-x 8 y-z 6 (Greek and Latin text in parallel columns, z6r colophon: Impressum Mediolani Anno Mcccc.Lxxxi die. xx. Septembris , z6v blank). 182 leaves. At least four paper stocks, the main run unwatermarked. Pinholes visible in extreme outer margins. Types 3:125Gk and 1:119 (leaded to 125)R (text), 4:100R and Gk (dedication). 28-30 lines (text), 36-42 lines (dedication). Double column (text). Initial-spaces with guide-letters. Blue hard-grain morocco, gilt-lettered spine, turn-ins gilt, edges gilt, endpapers watermarked "J Whatman 1831", [by Charles Lewis]. Provenance : Unrubricated; purchased for 18 gns. by Botfield in the 1830s from Payne and Foss (Acquisitions p.74). FIRST EDITION of the Greek liturgical Psalter, THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE TO BE PRINTED IN GREEK (Septuagint version), and the EDITIO PRINCEPS of the evangelical canticles Magnificat (z5r-v) and Benedictus (z5v-6r). The Latin translation follows the Vulgate. This Psaltery was no doubt meant to fill the needs of students of Greek; the learned monk Ambrogio Traversari (1386-1439), for instance, had learned the language from a copy of the Greek Psalter and he taught his own pupils Greek from it (see N.G. Wilson, From Byzantium to Italy pp. 10 and 33). Three years before Accursius brought out this edition, his Carmelite editor had compiled a Greek-Latin dictionary for beginning students (see lot 40). The Psaltery is apparently Bonus Accursius's final Greek production. Its type was the second Greek fount employed by the press and a recast of it on a smaller body is later found in the hands of Scinzenzeler (see lot 47). It may have been modelled on the hand of one of the scribes belonging to the Gregoropoulos family or that of Thomas Bitzimanos (Barker, Greek Script & Type p. 35). "The reason for the change of type is not so easy to discover, and it is certain that Bonus Accursius had the use of a skilful designer and type-cutter for the new fount is in no degree inferior to the old, while its larger size and the increased independence and self-reliance of its letters mark it as in many respects an advance on its predecessor" (Proctor, Printing of Greek p. 62). The Roman type set in conjunction with the Greek fount is identical with that used in the same period by the Milan printers, Benignus and Johannes Antonius de Honate. Accursius, a scholar and editor, was no doubt the general director and owner of the press, but he may have employed the Honate brothers to do the actual typographical work as well as perhaps Dionysius Paravisinus, the original owner of his first Greek type. Lewis may have lightly washed and pressed this copy, but it is IN EXTREMELY FINE CONDITION. HC *13454; BMC VI, 756 (IB. 26564 and 26564a); Goff P-1035; IGI 8123; Rogledi Manni 839; CIBN P-645; Bohatta, Liturgische Bibl. 793. Botfield 13-16.