De Civitate Dei by Saint Augustine. Basel: Johann Amberbach, 1490. [Together with] De Trinitate by Saint Augustine. Basel: Johann Amberbach, 1490, folio.
TWO INCUNABLE PRINTINGS BOUND INTO ONE, SAINT AUGUSTINE'S DE CIVITATE DEI TOGETHER WITH DE TRINITATE.
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A fine edition of Saint Augustine's De Civitate Dei (The City of God) which includes the commentary of Thomas Waleys, an English Dominican, and Nicolaus Trivet, an English Chronicler, printed in Basel by Johann Amberbach, bound with a similarly beautiful edition of De Trinitate (On the Trinity).
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Provenance:
Almost certainly originally a monastic or university study copy, with leather tabs at the fore-edge, ink fore-edge title inscription, and contemporary marginalia in several distinct neat hands. Circa 16th century inscription of "Ant Ruland". Inscription of Carl Knorger, circa 18th century. Another illegible inscription with the date "15.5.34", but the hand implies the date is likely 1834. 20th century bookplate stamp of "Moger" with a kneeling hunter with a rifle to ffep recto.
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Size: 240 x 338 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(2), a²–¹⁰, b⁸, c⁸, d⁸, e⁸, f⁸, g⁸, h⁸, i⁸, k⁸, l⁸, m⁸, n⁸, o⁸, p⁸, q⁶, r⁸, s⁶, t⁸, u⁶, x⁸, y⁶, A⁸, B⁶, C⁸, D⁶, E⁸, F⁶, G⁸, H⁶, I⁸, K⁶, L⁶, M⁸, N⁶, O⁸; a⁸, b⁸, c⁸, d⁸, e⁶, f⁸, g⁶, h⁸, i⁶, k⁸, l⁶, m⁶]
De Civitate Dei collates 267 of 268 leaves, lacking only a1 (which would have included a woodcut, but extant copies are almost always lacking this leaf, see BMC), and De Trinitate collates 86 of 86 leaves, complete, including the often lacking title leaf, and hence both works are textually complete. Facsimile title supplied in a neat German hand with some rubrication. Some worm tracks to first few leaves and last few quires, generally non-intrusively, mildly toned, else generally an internally near fine to fine copy with beautiful rubrication extending throughout the entirety of the two texts in red and blue. Contemporary marginalia in multiple distinct neat hands throughout indicating this was probably originally a monastic or university study copy.
Contemporary (original) rear board preserved, possibly an English design (?), with the spine and front board modern, the front board closely following the style of the original rear board. Some of the both clasps extant but with some parts lacking rendering both not functional as usual. Both boards securely attached, the binding is secure, stands upright on the shelf. An excellent copy of these two important works.
De Civitate Dei:
Goff A1244; HC 2066*; ISTC ia01244000; Pell 1561; Bod-inc A530; BMI III 752; GW 2888
De Trinitate:
Goff A1345; HC 2039*; ISTC ia01345000; Pell 1542; Bod-inc A563; BMC III 753; GW 2928
GW records "at least one copy in private ownership" of the De Civitate Dei and makes no such reference to De Trinitate, but we can locate a small number of other copies in private ownership. Another copy of De Civitate Dei (only) is currently offered at Amelie Sourget for $30,000. Both works are well represented institutionally worldwide but are fairly scarce on the market; we trace three other copies at auction in the last two decades, the most recent being Bonhams 23 July 2019 lot 15 ($11,685 USD).
