Opus de conscribendis epistolis recognitum ab autore & locupletatum

Coloniae: Heronem Alopeciu, 1522 An extremely scarce early edition published in September 1522 - a month after the authorised Basel edition - by Hero Alopecius in Cologne. We have only been able to find one reference to it (University of Toronto). Erasmus arranged publication of the Basel edition in August 1522, in response to the appearance of an unauthorised version in Cambridge in 1521. He had originally worked on the content in 1509-1511, and this work, developed from his earlier writing and lectures, became a popular and important text book on the writing of letters. It was much reprinted. This copy is newly rebound in full calf with panelled design to boards and gilt titles to spine. The page edges are red although this may not be contemporary. New endpapers. Contents with 2 initial blanks - the first with ink notation on the edition - this looks likely to be 1800's in date and the paper does not look contemporary. Title with elaborate design including 2 cherubs holding a shield with 3 crowns with ? contemporary latin note at the top; letter from Erasmus to Nicolao Beraldo pp 2-4; text with beautiful decorative initial capitals pp 5-414 Finis. No final blanks. There is some scholarly annotation in latin and gentle underlining - this could be contemporary. There are a number of mispaginations but the ties work in all cases: 47-74-75-50; 51-78-79-54; 55-82-83-58; 59-98-87-62-63-90-65; 170-117-172; 177-168-179; 192-191-192-193. There are a number of professional paper repairs: to the side of the title page and page 13/14; from p 357 onwards where the top corner tips had been burnt out - this begins with the just the tip but towards the end of the work includes some page numbers and just clips a couple of margin notes - the final 2 leaves have repair to sides. These corners do not have the red edges. Towards the end of the work, there are a few pages with some grubbiness at the bottom corners. Otherwise the work is very clean with high quality paper. Please enquire if you would like to see additional images