Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller

Philonis Iudaei... Lucubrationes quotquot haberi potuerunt (The Fullest Obtainable Collection of Works by Philo the Jew) [AND] Tomus II Philonis Iudaei Commentariorum (Volume Two: The Commentaries of Philo the Jew)

Philo of Alexandria; Athenagorus of Athens; Aeneas of Gaza; Sigmund Gelen (ed.); Pieter Nanninck (trans.); Johannes Wolf (trans.)

Basel: Nikolaus Episcopius the Younger, 1558. Hardcover. Two volumes, octavo. I: a-z8 (blank a8) A-Z8 [alpha]-[gamma]8 [delta]4, 396 leaves, pp. [14], [2, blank], 774, [1, blank] [1, printer’s device]. II: Aa-Zz8 AA-ZZ8 Aaa-Ggg8 (blank Aaa8) Hhh4, 428 leaves, pp. [2], 779-1526, [2, blank], [103, index] [1, colophon], [1, blank], [1, printer’s device]. Imprint from colophon vol. 2. Woodcut printer’s devices at titles and final leaves both volumes; woodcut historiated initials open each book. Contemporary paneled pigskin over beveled wooden boards, tooled in blind. Spines with raised bands in four compartments (library tickets at bottom compartment). Brass clasps and caches intact. Spines cleaned, with later library shelf marks, and traces of older manuscript titling. Very occasional faint touches of marginal foxing or soiling. A fine, amply-margined set of an uncommon edition.

Second Episcopius edition, and the first Latin version of Philo’s complete works, here in octavo format and augmented with treatises translated from the Greek on the resurrection of the dead and the immortality of the soul by Athenogorus of Athens and Aeneas of Gaza. Sigmund Gelen’s (1497-1554) version had first appeared from the press of Episcopius as a single folio volume in 1554. The first volume contains no imprint data apart from the device’s at the title and final leaf. The colophon of the second volume provides the complete information, while the imprint at the title omits Episcopius’ name.

Provenance: Old manuscript entries of “Bibliotheca Eccta Scaph. ad D. Joan.” at titles both volumes. Fine. Item #48886

References: Adams P-1029; Fürst 3:89; Goodhart & Goodenough 451. Hofmann 3:70. VD16 ZV 12448/12449 (total of only 5 libraries located between the two entries).

Full titles and imprint: Philonis Iudaei, scriptoris eloquentissimi, ac philosophi summi, lucubrationes quotquot haberi potuerunt, Latinae factae per Sigismundum Gelenium. His accessit propter argumenti similitudinem, Athenogoras De moruorum resurrectione, Petro Nannio interprete [et] Aeneas Gazaeus De immortalitate animarum, [et] corporum resurrectione, Ioanne Vuolphio interprete uterq[ue] integritati restitutus addito rerum memorandarum Indice. [vol. 2:] Tomus II Philonis Iudaei Commentariorum, Sigismundo Gelenio interprete. [from colophon:] Basileae, apud Nic. Episcopium Iun. M.D.LVIII.

Price: $2,500.00