Pomerium Sermonum de Sanctis by Pelbartus de Themesvar. Augsburg: Johann Otmar, not before 1502, folio.
A BEAUTIFUL EARLY PRINTED FINELY RUBRICATED COPY OF PELBARTUS' FAMOUS SERMONS. VERY RARE.
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Pelbart of Temesvár (c.1435–1504) was a Hungarian Franciscan preacher, theologian, and author whose works became significant in late medieval sermon literature. Born in Temesvár (now Timișoara, Romania), he studied at the University of Kraków, earning his theology license in 1463 and leaving as a doctor in 1471. By 1483, he was teaching and writing at the Franciscan Monastery of St. John in Buda, Hungary, where he began publishing extensively. His works, including Stellarium coronae Mariae Virginis, a collection of Marian sermons, and Sermones, a compilation of over 500 sermons, were widely printed as incunabula from 1498, but not many copies survive to today, institutionally or in private hands. After his death in 1504, his writings, completed by his student Oswald von Lasko, continued to be translated and published, influencing Hungarian literature and remaining a key source for medieval theological studies. Printings from during his lifetime are notably very rare, as with this copy.
An auction catalogue description to the front pastedown misidentifies the date of this as 1492 and the printer as Anton Koberger. Goff correctly mentions that the first edition of this work appeared in 1499 and that this is the 4th edition of this work "not before 1502". For more on the identification of this edition, see D.E. Roads, "An Unidentified Incunable printed at Augsburg not before 1502", The Library 5 (1958), pp.54-56.
VERY RARE. USTC records only 7 copies held institutionally worldwide with no copies held in the UK or USA. A digitised copy free of any rubrication is available at the Munchener DigitalisierungsZentrum Digitale Bibliothek.
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Provenance:
Unidentified auction catalogue description pasted to foot of front pastedown dated June 1944, misidentifying the edition as 1492 which is understandable given the fine rubrication throughout which is slightly anachronistic for 1502, though does provide some bibliographical references which presumably support the identification for Koberger and 1492 (?).
From the important collection of W.A. Foyle at Beeleigh Abbey with the associated gilt morocco bookplate to front pastedown.
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Size: 228 x 325 mm (approx.)
*slipcase size: 264 x 364 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(2), aa⁸, bb⁶, cc²-⁶, dd-zz⁶, zz⁴, (2)]
17th century blind-panelled full calf binding, rebacked circa the late 19th century, rubbed, but structurally secure with both boards securely attached. With a bespoke modern green cloth drop-over case with tooled label affixed to the upper spine and the date tooled in gilt to the foot, very slightly discoloured in places, but generally attractive and serves its purpose well.
This book contains the first part only, lacking Pars Estivalis, also lacks the preliminary tables and cc¹, with cc² torn, losing a third of the leaf, but present, else with the text of this section complete and finely rubricated throughout every leaf. The collation on the tipped in catalogue is erroneous, but correctly identifies this as a fragment of a larger work (137 of 310 fo).
Internally very clean, with some sporadic contemporary marginalia in places. Each leaf is finely rubricated. The title page leaf has been remounted, but very finely, preserving the prologue on the verso.
[Goff P253; HC *12553; USTC 684737].
