farfel_n06_029_414

414
Dr Eichenberger
Bein Wil Am See
May '94
S.F. 70 = $50

Thomas a Kempis (c. 1380-1471)
Opera: Sermones, epistolae et alia opuscula f0
Nuremberg: Casper for Peter Damnhauser Hochfeder, 29 Nov. 1494 (1st press)
Ref: Goff T-352 HC (+ Add) 6769 Polain (B) 3777 Pr 2291
BMC II 475 Haebler plate #71
Cop: HEHL, Folg SL, LC, New L, B. Royale Sermone, folio 123
Liber Epistolarum. Fo. CXLIIII

1st edition of the Works of T. a Kempis
"Imitatio Christi" - the most popular + influential
devotional work of the later Middle Ages. Thomas's
autograph of "Imitatio Christi", with other of his devotional
writings is preserved in the Biblio. Royale, Brussels. It was
widely diffused in manuscripts already before his death.
Most of the many incunable editions assign authorship
mistakenly to Jean Gerson. Zainer's ed. princepts makes the
correct attribution in its colophon (Goff I-4) to Thomas Augustinian
canon regular of Agnietenberg. Diocese of Utrecht.
(close to Zwolle)

184 leaves, 5-182 numbered i-clxxviij (leaves xxxix-xlij
being numbered xxxix) 2 col. exvept in the preliminary letters.
53 lines + headline. 222(234)x144mm. Types: 168a
title + headline; 83 text. Capital spaces, with guide
letters. The headlines give the titles of the tracts + the
foliation. 5a, 'de limitatione Christi', followed by the
other works enumerated in the tituli on I6: 184b blank.
168a title type of the common rounded form. Used from
14911-9407.
83 Latin text type.

The 1st blank printed by Hochfeder was the works
of St. Anselm, dated 27 March 1491; in 1498 or 9 he
went to Metz + continued printing there + at Krakow 1503-5
in the 16th C.