Lot 08001

ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΣ Ο ΜΕΓΑΣ / Basil the Great, “Opera quaedam beati Basilii Caesariensis episcopi Tractatus ethicorum regula, siue τα ασκητικά De uirginitate Contra Eunomium item Sermones & epistolae non nulla insertae in regula: quae omnia diligenter recognita nunc primum impressa sunt.. Του εν αγίοις πατρός ημών Βασιλείου του της Καισαρείας της Καππαδοκίας αρχιεπισκόπου συγγράμματα τινά. Βιβλίον Ηθικών· Διάταξις του των Μοναχών Βίου, ήτοι τα Ασκητικά· Περί Παρθενίας· Κατά Ευνομίαν· Προς τούτοις λόγοι και επιστολαί τινές τοις ασκητικής παρεμβεβλημέναι· Άπαντα επιμελώς επανορθωθέντανυν πρώτο εντετύπωται”, Venice, by Stefano Nicolini da Sabbio, October 1535. 8vo (23x16cm), ff. [5], 191 [=182].

Second edition of an anthology of works by Basil the Great, comprising diverse studies of his such as Ascetica, Peri parthenias, Didachai and his Epistles. The Works of the Basil the Great where published for the first time in Basel in 1532 by Froben with the collaboration of Erasmus. This rare edition is printed by Stefano Nicolini da Sabbio, the dominant and most accomplished of the brothers Nicolini da Sabbio, considered the most active printers of Greek in Italy during the second quarter of the sixteenth century.  In 1535, the Nicolini da Sabbio family was granted the copyright privilege to print the works of Saint Basil. The expences of the edition were covered by Damiano di Santa Maria, with his name appearing along with Stefano Nicolini da Sabbio on colophon.

Personal mark of Stefano’s on title page “Crown over a bridge” framed by “CTEΦΑΝΟC CABIOC”. Fine woodcut chapter ornaments and tailpieces in red & black ink. Wood engraved initials, comments printed on margins, chapter titles and highlighted text all in red ink. Main text body in black.

Large part of the book (until ff.134v) is based and is following the aesthetic forms of a manuscript from the English College of Rome (MSS 1413(olim Z.6)), dated in 1413 and conducted mainly by the Italian scribe Bernardino Sandro, and partly by Dimitrios Zinos, originally from the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian Sea (Chatzopoulou Venetia, 2020).

Contemporary (16th century) ex-libris manuscript signature in red & black ink on colophon, reading (among unidentified parts): “ΔΟΛΙΑΝΙΤΗ / Doglianiti egrapsa 1573 / a minos ianouariou / το παρόν βιβλίον”.

Professionally restored with Japanese paper covering wormholes & margins cut on every sheet. Major restorations on last 3 leafs. Text replaced by contemporary manuscript text for ff. 145, 148, 161, 166-167, 174. Missing the first and last blanc leafs, missing part of upper first text line of ff.4, 5, 168, 178, missing upper first text line of ff.109, 116, 117, 154, 165, 169, 170-173 & last 3 sheets. Missing part of the edges text of the comments printed on the margins. Upper part of sheets crease on ff.68-69. Small remaining wormholes on title page and mainly on lower part of hinge of ff. 145-159 and upper part of ff.160-165. Rebound in later calf spine and thick paper boards. Later stamp of Greek bookbinder of Corfu on ff.1.

Collated with the copy of the Casanata Library of Rome, presenting differences of leafs numbering.

ADAMS B 345· Chatzopoulou V., “Reginald Pole, Bernardino Sandro et Dimitrios Zinos: à propos du modèle de lédition princeps des Ascétiques de Saint Basile par Stefano Nicolini da Sabbio”, 2020, Layton E. “The Sixteenth century greek book in Italy”, 1994, pp. 406, 408-409· Σταϊκος K., “Η Πνευματική πορεία του γένους” Β, pp. 147.