SOKOL BOOKS CATALOGUE LXXV We are always happy to add new names to our extensive mailing list and produce several catalogues a year (electronic or printed) as well Catalogue LXXV as frequently ofering items which might be of interest. We also regular- ly search for items to satisfy customers’ particular wants or assist gener- ally in building their collections. Many of our customers are leading in- When choosing which books to include in our new catalogue, we strived to include as many examples as possible stitutions and collectors throughout the world, but many also are more which could showcase the variety of our stock. We have drawn a chronological line around 1650, so that our focus modest bibliophiles who share our particular passions. All are equally val- lies on early books and manuscripts, but that is the only limit we set as we try to cover all subjects and many lan- ued and most are long-standing. You, like them, can purchase from us in guages. complete confdence that you can rely on our experience and expertise. Please do share this catalogue. We have selected many beautiful fne bindings and some exquisitely illuminated manuscripts, true art objects wor- thy of royal attention. However the words inside books make them so much more than visual artistic outputs. In- side the catalogue you will fnd copies of classical literature, such as Cicero, old friend for all those who have taken Latin classes, and Virgil, in a most unusual translation in Scottish. Scientifc progress is witnessed by texts of some TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SALE of the leading fgures of the times in their felds, from Galileo to Brahe and Sacrobosco. Te will of men to extend Books will be sent after your cheque or bank transfer has been received. their knowledge of the universe they inhabit, from astronomy to philosophy, passes also through accounts of in- Postage and insurance are charged on all parcels unless otherwise specifed. credible explorations and travels all over the ever expanding world, with some early accounts of the New World, Payment is due within 14 days of the invoice date. with maps to accompany them in Ramusio. Some of our books tell the history of printing through the names of If payment is to be made in a currency other than pounds sterling, please add €15 or $15 to cover bank transfers. famous printers like Aldus and Wynkyn de Worde. Books may be returned within 14 days. Tis special type of bibliophilia for old books is so charming because these books have not simply been used before, All books remain our property until paid for in full. We reserve the right to charge interest on outstanding invoices at our but often loved, cherished and treasured; they tend to be as unique as manuscripts. We can still fnd with a curious discretion. historian's endeavour traces of previous owners, through their choices of bindings or through personal annota- THINKING OF SELLING? tions; so many fascinating stories on paper and parchment. We are always keen to add to our stock, with a particular focus on English STC books (pre 1640), continental books Books have a lot to tell and the earliest speak the loudest. So come and listen, before it is too late. printed up to the mid 1600s and medieval and renaissance manuscripts, in all languages and on all subjects. How- As Seneca said: cotidie morimur. ever we are also purchasers of later items, especially collections. We are particularly eager to acquire fne, com- plete copies in contemporary bindings. If you are thinking of disposing, please get in touch to arrange an appoint- ment. We are always pleased to consider ofers and will give as much help and advice as we can if your books are not for us. Tis is always provided free of charge and with no obligation on your part. Naturally, our discretion is assured. FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on any of the items listed within, please get in contact with us via phone or email, or visit our website to browse more of our stock. Should you wish to view any items in person, we are happy to make appointments, or simply stop by our Fulham Road shop. Visit us at: 239a Fulham Road London SW3 6HY Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 7pm [email protected] www.sokol.co.uk Tel: 0207 499 5571 or 0207 351 5119 @Sokol Books @sokolbooks @Sokol Books Ltd Company Above: detail from item 17, Book of Hours 1 Front cover: detail from item 49, Gundelfnger association (because of the carefully arranged sums), physical proximity and in their supposed capacity to foretell future outcomes.Rare. From the collection of Adrienne Minassian; formally at Brown University. K136 BOUND FOR CHARLES DE VALOIS 2. ARETINO, Pietro. La terza, et vltima parte de Ragionamenti del diuino Pietro Aretino [London], Appresso Gio. Andrea del Melagrano [i.e. John Wolfe], 1589. [with] Quattro comedie del diuino Pietro Aretino. Cioè Il Marescalco La cortegiana La Talanta, L’hipocrito.. [London, printed by John Wolfe, 1588]. £10,500 8vo. Two vols in one. 1) f.[iv], 202, [ii]; [*4, A-2B8, 2C4]. 2) f. [viii], 285, [iii]. [A-2O8.] “La cortigiana”, “La Talanta”, and “L’hipocrito” each have separate dated title page; pagination and register are continuous. Roman letter, some Italic. Woodcut roundel portrait of Aretino on titles of each part, small woodcut initials and headpieces, engraved bookplate of Maurice Burrus on pastedown, early autograph ‘Fayet?’ on t-p. Light age yellowing. A fne copy, crisp and exceptionally clean, in stun- ning contemporary tan morocco gilt, covers bordered with a triple gilt rule, ams of Charles de Valois gilt at centres within olive branch wreath, small feurons to sides above and below, mono- gram of interlacing double Cs gilt to outer corners, spine double gilt ruled in compartments monogram of double Cs gilt at centres, title gilt lettered, a.e.g. spine fractionally darkened, in a red morocco box. A very lovely copy, beautifully bound for Charles de Valois, the son of King Charles IX of France, of these rare editions of Aretino printed clandestinely by John Wolfe in London. These English editions of Are- tino’s work, particularly the comedies, pose the question as to whether MAGIC SQUARES Shakespeare had read Aretino in this form. “All of the four comedies damp staining and marginal fnger-soiling. provide signifcant cues for Shakespeare’s plays especially for the plot 1. AHMED IBN AHMED IBN ‘ABD AL-LATĪF AL construction of such works as the Taming of the Shrew, the Comedy of SHARJI AL-ZUBAYDI, SHIHAB AL-DĪN. Kitāb Al Fawayīd wa al-Silāt Wa al-‘Awāyid is a treatise outlin- Errors, and Twelfh Night, where we fnd some unique solutions in the Kitāb Al Fawayīd wa al-Silāt Wa al-‘Awāyid [On Magic and ing the various principles of numerology in Islam where charts and comedic structure which were anticipated by Aretino’s innovative thea- Talismans]. numbers are used for divination or to bring barākā (blessings). tre.” Michele Marrapodi. ‘Shakespeare and the Italian Renaissance:.’ [Sana’a, Yemen], n.p., [AH 969/1562]. Most of the illustrations in this manuscript are of the Islamic tal- It is certain that Arteino was of great infuence on other contemporary ismanic design known as wafq – ‘magic squares’ (see Maddison, English writers who borrowed heavily from his works, particularly Jon- £26,500 F., and Savage-Smith E., ‘Science, Tools & Magic in the Khalili son and Middleton. “One of the more versatile and prolifc writers in Collection of Islamic Art’, Oxford; Oxford University Press, 1997 the Italian vernacular, Peter Aretino made a signifcant impact on the Arabic manuscript on paper, 100 f. of text, two free end or Savage-Smith, E., ‘Magic and divination in early Islam’, Al- literary, political, social, and artistic world of 16th century Italy. .. papers, pages numbered, each with 25 lines of black naskh dershot; Ashgate Variorum, 2004). A magic square is arranged script, text panel 157 x 100 mm, titles and some words picked to produce a constant sum in all rows and columns and were At the court of Rome, Aretino developed his skill at political and clerical out in red, some phrases underlined in red, text within red most commonly depicted on amulets or manuscripts. Te wafq is gossip in the form of pasquinades and lampoons. During his stay there, frame, including numerous arithmetical tables and some di- sometimes described as ‘recreational mathematics’ because of the Aretino also drafed La Cortigiana (The Courtesan) in which he sat- agrams, later notes to the end papers, colophon signed ‘Abd sophisticated mathematical principles they illustrate. Jacques Se- irized the papal court and Baldesar Castiglione’s manual for courtly al-Rahīm al-Zubaydi in Sana’a in modern Yemen in Shaww- siano in the article ‘Magic squares in Islamic Mathematics’ has behaviour, Il Cortegiano (the Courtier). While Aretino is frequently al AH 969 (June-July 1562 AD) and dated, repair without argued that magic squares in Medieval Islam were developed from described as an anti-classical, anti-humanistic, and scurrilous author loss, at least three diferent hands of marginal annotations. chess which was hugely popular in the Middle East. Sesiano has who proudly posted of never having studied Latin, La Cortigiana re- also observed how there are references to the use of magic squares veals a rich heritage of sources, includingVirgil, and Erasmus, and the Contemporary, polished natural high quality morocco with in astrological calculations. Magic squares are, generally, magic by contemporary humanistic treatise.... In 1534 Aretino published the central stamped medallion, an excellent copy with minor 2 3 frst part of I Ragionamenti, a series of dialogues in which pros- Woodfeld, ‘Surreptitious Printing in England’.