1534 Imperatorum et Caesarum Vitae, Huttich. Early illustrated numismatics (coin collecting) reference work

Johann Huttich's 1534 edition of Imperatorum et Caesarum Vitae, a history of Roman emporers from Julius Caesar to Charles V., including illustrations by the celebrated Hans Weditz, with portraits drawn from the emperor's coins.

Huttich had a history of referencing ancient coins, and the coinage illustrations printed in this work encouraged contemporary 16th century coin collecting (see King Phillip II's copy, bound in Salamanca goatskin, for example), making this a very early numismatic reference work, which is still in use today (for example, the American Numismatic Society holds this work in their reference library with shelf number H888 I47).

Beyond that, this edition is well-respected for its rich illustrations, by the noted illustrator, which included significant additions to the 1525 first edition, including a supplementary volume at the rear, with an additional sixteen leaves, many of the leaves with coinage examples.

About the Author -

Huttich was a citizen of Strasbourg, where he was canon at St. Thomas. In 1520 he published a collection of Roman inscriptions from the vicinity of Mainz (Collectanea Antiquitatum). He published a handful of other works, including this one; perhaps his best known work was in partnership with Symon Grynaeus, Novus Orbis Regionum... which included an early world map by Sebastian Munster.

About the Illustrator -

Hans Weiditz the Younger (1495 – c. 1537), was a German Renaissance artist, also known as The Petrarch Master for his woodcuts illustrating Petrarch's De remediis utriusque fortunae, or Remedies for Both Good and Bad Fortune. He is best known today for his very lively scenes and caricatures of working life and people

About the Printer -

Kopf was assistant to the reformation printer Thomas Wolff, in Basel. Branching out on his own, he settled in Strasbourg, working often with the Reformers. One third of his printings are of Luther.

"(Kopf’s) most important printing achievement was the "Libellus Imperatorum Romanorum" by the humanist and historian in 1525 J. Huttich, German 1526 (Roman Keyser abcontraueyt). For this work, in which the emperors of Caesar down to the Charles V, created Hans Weiditz created the woodcuts for about 50 portrait medallions and margin strips with motifs from classical mythology." - Deutsche Biographie

Bibliographic Details -

Universal Short Title Catalogue number USTC 665202. Not rare, found in many of the world's best libraries (Cambridge, British Library, NYPL, Duke, Biblioteca Nacional, etc.)

Worldcat OCLC catalogue number 1051580878, among others.

Adams - H1248, Brunet - 391-2

Physical Attributes -

Rather basic decorative-paper covered pasteboard binding. Illustrated. Two volumes in one binding. Srinkled red text block edges.

Pages - xvi, 88. xxxii.

Collation - Aa-Bb4, A-X4, Y5 (missing Y6, which had a printer's mark on it). aa-dd4.

Condition -

See pictures. Binding worn, with thumbing, corners bumped, edge and corner wear, etc. There is a library label at the base of the spine. Tex block edges are a little darkened. Numerous bibliographic entries to the pastedown. No front flyleaf. Lots of thumbing, toning, and a stain to title page; also, name written in old hand. Text block toned throughout, with occasional fox spot, thumbing, page edge tear, dog-eared corner, etc. as to be expected with a nearly 500- year-old book. Occasional moisture marks near the edges. Some annotations and underlining, in an old hand, in the text. Last leaf mounted on a tab. A solid working copy, which has previously been used for reference. This copy is missing the leaf Y6, whihc had a printer's mark on it, found at the end of the first part.