Rationale divinorum officiorum by Duranti, Guillelmus - 1481

Nuremberg: Anton Koberger, 1481. 198 leaves. ll.[1], 1-197. a12 b-l8]m10n-zA8]. With 17-line opening initial in red, yellow and blue with yellow & white fill & flourishes; rubricated with red & blue lombard initials throughout, capital strokes & paragraph signs, headlines. 1 vols. Folio. Bound in 17th-century blind-stamped pigskin over wooden boards lettered in ms on front cover: (upper panel) "• M • T • H • S •" and (lower panel) "•1• 6 • 6 • 5". Lacking clasps, foot of spine torn, front free endpaper detached. Internally, apart from one or two stains, an immaculate, crisp copy. Early owner's signature in margin of first leaf. Bookplate of the Washington Cathedral and one other. 198 leaves. ll.[1], 1-197. a12 b-l8]m10n-zA8]. With 17-line opening initial in red, yellow and blue with yellow & white fill & flourishes; rubricated with red & blue lombard initials throughout, capital strokes & paragraph signs, headlines. 1 vols. Folio. A Fine Koberger, 1481. Duranti (also Durand, or Durandus) was a 13th-century French theologian and canon law jurist whose RATIONALE DIVINORUM OFFICIORUM - a book devoted to the nature and symbolism of the Roman Catholic liturgy - was first printed by Fust & Schoeffer in 1459, and dozens of times thereafter. This is the second Koberger printing of Duranti's book, preceeded by his edition of 1480. Although not at all rare in institutions, copies on the market are infrequent. Only one copy shows up in American Book Prices Current over the last 30 years, and it was imperfect, stained, soiled, and sold with all faults.
This is a beautiful, nearly immaculate copy, with fine rubrication. Goff D425; H 6485*; BMC II 421; BSB-Ink D-342; GW 9123; ISTC No.: id00425000