Melanchthon, Liber Continens Continua, 1569.
MELANCHTHON, Philip. Liber Continens Continua Serie Epistolas Philippi Melanchthonis Scriptas Annis XXXVIII. AD Ioach. Camerar. Pabep. Nunc Primum Pio Studio Et Accurata Consideratione Huius Editus Curante Eum Exprimendum Ernesto Voegelino. Lipsiae, Cum Privilegio Imperatoriae Maiestatis Ad Ann. V.
Colophon reads:
Absoluebanur haec Mense Octobri Anno Christi Jesu M. D. LXIX. Atque sunt chartae octuplices omnes praeter unam [gamma]. & alteram Ecc quadruplices.
Blind stamped pig skin leather over wood boards with raised bands and manuscript title on spine. Armorial blind stamped front board with motto, animals, pillars, as well as boarders of heads and crossed swords. Blind stamped effigy holding sword with motto and border of heads on rear board. Red page edges. Hasps and leather straps of metal clasps intact. Clasps broken off near their straps. Focal scuffing of fore edge resultant from broken clasps. Mild shelf wear and scuffing of leather. Slightly worn at hinges and bands. Front external hinge beginning to superficially crack near top edge, and is cracked internally. Both boards still securely attached however. Three minute worm holes on front board. Small thin line of red discoloration on middle of rear board (through beard of effigy). Stray worming to front pastedown. Ex library markings on title page. 17th century writing on title page. Mild scattered marginal damp stain not involving text. Otherwise clean, bright, and tight throughout. Text free of internal markings. Attractively set in roman font with ample margins.
Philip Melancthon (1497 - 1560) was a personal friend of Martin Luther and a famous Protestant Reformer. He aided Luther in his translation work. He was a professor at Wittenberg and the principal author of the Augsburg Confession. Melancthon was a father of Christian Humanism and was a prolific writer—including his correspondence with his friend, the classical scholar Joachim Camerarius (these letters being the content of the book offered here for sale). This collection of letters offers an intimate and valuable look into the life of the Reformer. Melancthon provided a Latin translation for Camerarius’ 1553 Greek edition of the Tetrabiblos.
Measures approximately 7¾ x 5½ x 2¼ inches
