Beschreibung:

CELTIS, Conrad (1459-1508). Libri Odarum quattuor, cum Epodo, & saeculari carmine . Edited by Joachim Vadian (1484-1551). Strassburg: Matthias Schürer for Leonardus and Lucas Alantsee, May 1513. PRINTED ON VELLUM. 4° (194 x 132mm). Collation: a 8 b 6 A-M 8 . 4 N-O 8 (a1r title, a1v blank, a2r address by Joachim Vadian to Schürer, a3r odes and epigrams on Celtis by Johannes Camers, Nicolaus Gerbellius, Dietrich Ulsenius, and others, a7v prose address to Christophe Rauber by Thomas Velocian, a8v verses by Velocian on Celtis, errata, b1r life of Celtis, b4r index, b6v full-page woodcut, A1r text, o7r prose and verse by Velocian, woodcut and type memorial tablet to Celtis, verses by Camers, colophon, O8v blank). 102 leaves. Woodcut architectural border by VC on title-page, full-page allegorical woodcut with Celtis' device at centre, half-page woodcut border to Celtis' memorial tablet. Initial spaces with guide-letter. (Small wormholes in first and last 2 leaves, outer blank margins of 6 leaves cut away.) Mid-16th-century German gilt-tooled calf over bevelled wooden boards, central circular panel showing David in Prayer, dolphins and fleurons, heads-in-medallions roll border, initials MML and date 1567 lettered on lower cover, fleurons on spine, number '126' written at foot of spine, gilt edges (missing two fore-edge clasps, the gilt mostly worn, some wear at spine and corners, a few wormholes). Provenance : 'MML 1561' (binding) -- 'JDB' 1709 (title inscription). A RARE, POSSIBLY UNIQUE COPY ON VELLUM OF THE FIRST EDITION OF CELTIS' ODES . There is no indication for whom it was specially printed and handsomely bound in gilt-stamped calf, but it must have been intended for one of the humanists and associates of Celtis involved in the edition, such as Vadian, Camers, or Gerbellius. Having always aspired to be the German Horace, Celtis worked intensively for years on compiling a volume of odes modelled after the Roman poet. Despite his efforts, however, he did not live to see it published, and it first appeared five years after his death, edited by his former pupil and sodalis , Joachim Vadian. Adams C-1252; Amor als Topograph , exhibition catalogue, Bibliothek Otto Schäfer, 2002, no. 42; BLSTC German , p.189; VD-16 C-1906.