Silver binding, sammelband of Jesuit poetry works of the 17th century, circa 1678

Three poetical works of early 17th century Jesuit poets, bound into one binding with beautiful silver decorations covering the front and rear board.

About the Literary Works -

Three works are bound within:

1. 1672 De Cultu B. V. Mariae Elegiarum (in three books, not "book three" as it is often catalogued; all three "libri" are found within the printing) by Antoine Deslions.

Elegies on Mary, etc. that earned Deslions the title "poete" in French bibliographies; in addition, he authored works on history and is called "historian".

He was born in Bethune in Artois and joined the Jesuits in 1608. He taught humanities in various colleges of his order, then devoted himself entirely to preaching. He died in 1648. (Memories de la Societe..., Fernand Danchin, 1926, p.157)

A. David printed a pamphlet on Deslions called Antoine Deslions, Poete et Historien in 1884.

2. No title page bound in (starts at A1, page 1) - Epigrammatum Selectrorum by Bernard Bauhuis

Bauhuis (1575-1629) was a Jesuit of Anvers and professor at the College of Bruges. He was the author of five books of epigrams "among which, one is capable, according to Prestet, of being turned three thousand three hundred and sixty-six different ways, without losing its rhythmical quality. It runs thus - "Tot tibi sunt dotes, virgo, quot sidera caelo." (Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography, V1., Waller/Eadie, 1876, p.421)

An epigram is from the Greek word "epigramma", which refers to a concise, witty and often satirical verse.

3. 1672 Silvulae Hendecasyllarborum by Jacob Bidermann

Jacob Bidermann (1578-1649) was a Jesuit poet and playwright. His Cenodoxus, on the legend of St. Bruno, enjoyed great success. Also, Bidermann had other successful plays, which invited the audience to interrogate their own spiritual sincerity. These Jesuit plays were popular in the 17th century, and were said to have influenced the preachers of the time, like Guillaume Pepin.

An article in a 1928 The London Mercury issue says, "Cenodoxus can only be compared to Dante" and the Stanford Studies in Language and Literature states, "The most talented of Jesuit playwright of the early Baroque is the Swabian Jacob Bidermann.

From 1603-1606 Bidermann was in Ingolstadt studying theology, which is where this book was published (although much later).

This work is, roughly translated, a Forest of Hendecasyllabic verses. Hendecasyllabic is a rhythmic measure, attributed to Greek Lyric Poets.

About the Binding -

No maker's mark is readily visible. The book was published in Ingolstadt, where the silversmith family of Kienlin (see book bindings attributed to Johann Adam Kienlin) plied their trade.

It was common for bindings of this time to have a silver spine, but I see no hinges which indicate one might have been removed, and the leather of the spine was decorated. Still, a silver spine may have been removed and the board edges cut of their hinges... but removing the hinges seems unlikely.

The two medallions may represent Faith (with the chalice of the Last Supper and Bible), and Charitas at the rear (see Peter Paul Ruben's 'Hope, Charity and Faith", with a similar depiction with children).

This book was sold in the 1924 Sotheby Sale of the Library of Dr. E Marion Cox and Charles Cottrell-Dormer in London. It was in lot 251 and only mentions the sides, "old calf, the sides overlaid with embossed silver, figure in medallion on each side, 2 clasps".

E. Marion Cox was a book collector and bibliophile, in 1916 printing a phamphlet entitled Some of My Books.

Bibliographic Details -

All three works are printed by Joannis Philippi Zinck in Ingelstadt. The first and third work have a printing date of 1672; presumptively the middle work would also have been printed in 1672 (the title page is not bound-in) but Worldcat doesn't have record of a 1672 edition.

The Deslions work is catalogued in Worldcat as OCLC 836616102, among others.

The Bauhuis work is catalogued in Worldcat as OCLC 1088278417, with a printing date of 1678.

The Bidermann work is catalogued in Worldcat as OCLC 78071635, among others.

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 13 x 8 x 3 cm. Leather binding with blind tooling.

Over the front and rear board silver covers have been added; these are likely repousse (hammered from the back side) and are decorated in the French rococo style, each with a proud central medallion. The front medallion is a woman holding a goblet and books, the rear medallion is a woman holding her baby and guiding her child. The covers have been turned-in, just like a leather binding. The silver clasps work, and one clasp depicts a putti holding a spade, and the other a lute.

The endpapers are dutch-gilt (the front one is missing the flyleaf) and the rear endpaper shows a wonderful depiction of a lute player, in gilt.

Three works bound into one binding.

The second work is missing its title page and any prefatory printed material (it begins at page 1, signed A1).

Pages - vi, 106, 128, title page, vi, 128

The third work seems like it might not have had a leaf bound-in; the first gathering is fifteen leaves, instead of 16, but the catchwords match and nothing seems missing so it was likely a blank the binder chose not to include.

Condition -

See pictures. Silver tarnished, with some bumps around the edges. Leather binding under is dried out. The spine is crazed, and chipped from the head and tail; there is evidence of glue repair along the front and rear leather joint. There is a little rubbing noticeable on the leather under the silver covering the boards. Front flyleaf missing. Blank bookbinder endpaper mounted instead; some numbers written on it and the remnants of an auction ticket (presumably).

Text block has some toning throughout, with occasional fox spots, page edge bumps, etc. A few pages seem slightly proud. The index at the back of the Deslions work insn't included. Also, the title page (and any intros) are not bound in for the Bauhuis, it starts on page 1. I see a very occasional annotation. Blank endpaper at rear has notes on which poems apply to different life situations. Rear flyleaf has a white mark at bottom and the fore-edge is a little rough; also, several small holes which may be from binding.