Omnium Operum Divi Eusebii Hieronymi Stridonensis. [...]. Basel: Johannes Froben, 1516, folios.
THE VERY RARE & IMPORTANT FIRST ERASMUS EDITION OF THE WORKS OF ST. JEROME, PRODUCED ALONGSIDE ERASMUS' 1516 NOVUM TESTAMENTUM.
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Erasmus’ 1516 edition of St Jerome’s works, printed by Johannes Froben in Basel, is a hugely significant printing bringing together Renaissance humanism and Biblical scholarship. Historically, this edition was produced alongside Erasmus’ important 1516 Novum Testamentum which served as the basis for the 1560 Geneva and 1611 King James Versions, this edition of St Jerome reflects Erasmus' mission to restore the textual foundations of Christian faith. Just as the Novum Testamentum aimed to purify scripture, the Opera Omnia sought to resurrect Jerome’s writings, correcting centuries of scribal corruption, and of course, Jerome's Latin Vulgate and the process of his translation was a significant influence to Erasmus' New Testament.
Erasmus employed rigorous philological methods, comparing ancient manuscripts (ope codicum) and applying scholarly conjecture (ope ingenii), to restore Jerome’s original meaning. His efforts extended to separating authentic works from spurious attributions and meticulously reconstructing Jerome’s Greek and Hebrew citations. By adding extensive commentaries, Erasmus clarified Jerome’s theology, making it more accessible to both learned readers and the modestly educated. He claimed this monumental labour restored Jerome to such a degree that it was akin to publishing him “for the first time.” The Opera Omnia was highly praised by Erasmus' contemporaries, including Thomas More and Archbishop Warham, as a triumph of scholarship and devotion, solidifying Erasmus’ reputation as one of Europe’s foremost humanist thinkers.
"Early in 1516 Thomas More wrote to Erasmus, his long-time friend: ‘I am delighted that Jerome and the New Testament make such good progress. It is remarkable how keenly they are awaited by everyone on all sides.’ Once made available at the Frankfurt book fair in autumn 1516, many high ranking churchmen and laymen enthusiastically welcomed the edition, and readers from all over Europe wrote letters to Erasmus praising his work and thanking him for his ‘restoration’ of Jerome."
An exceptionally rare edition in stunning contemporary blindstamped vellum bindings, usually encountered in single volumes, or two vols bound into one, only. This edition is extremely rare in any significant state of completeness, as here. This is volumes 1-7 of 9, collated as complete. The Erasmus edited parts are all present here (and collated as complete), which comprise the first four volumes. The subsequent volumes were edited by the three Amberbachs. We can trace no complete copies having appeared for sale worldwide; this is the most complete set we can trace in private hands. Volumes 6&7 in a similar binding as to these, though very heavily wormed like with the second binding of this set, sold at Forum Auctions 18th Apr 2024 lot 93. We can't trace any more than two volumes together having sold other than this set.
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Size: 270 x 384 mm (approx., each)
Condition:
[(1), 28, 141, 1, 238, (1)]; [((1), 169, (1),149, 1, (1)]; [(1), 287, (1), 135, (1), 118, 1, (2)].
Volumes 1-7, of 9, each collated as complete according to USTC, numbers provided in the collation are leaf numbers as paginated. Contemporary full vellum stamped in blind over wood, large folios, titles written in a contemporary hand to the head of each spine with volumes numbered to the fore-edges, indicative of early monastic ownership. Volumes one to seven consecutively, of nine, only, bound into three. Bindings a little rubbed with some minor discolouration, but show very attractively indeed on the shelf, some worming visible to bindings. Remnants of clasps to first book, both extant to the second, and with greater remnants to the third, retaining most of the upper clasp. Unrestored and thus fully original. Some minor dampstaining in margins as typical, but generally very bright and clean throughout the text blocks. Closed tear to fore-edge of leaf 77 in volume one, not affecting the text. Closed tear to leaf 21 in volume six, affecting a small portion of text, but still legible. Leaf 118 in volume one is a blank and is present - VD16 ZV7940 collates this separately, but USTC includes it as part of the consecutive collation (more correctly). Minor wormholing in the first and third bindings, but very heavy in the second binding, particularly at the beginning of the binding (pictured), lessening in extent further into the page block as typical, but the front board is vertically split as a result of the wormholing which causes some sawdust to fall from the book, it nonetheless functions, and this is not visible externally, presumably a simple fix for a restorer concerning the board. Worming through the other volumes, but much less significant, pictured. Some contemporary marginalia, as well as some in the hand of the ownership inscription dated 1720.
[USTC 679363; VD16 H3482, ZV7940; OCLC 165649626].
