Binding (by the Ittingen Carthusian Monastery). 1586 Oratione et Meditatione, Louis of Granada

A very interesting binding, produced by the Ittingen (Switzerland) Carthusian monks, decorates this 16th century devotional work.

Gruel, in his seminal work on bindings, the Manual Historique... de Reliures, printed an image of a nearly matching binding from Ittingen, with the same central stamps (Volume 2, page 99 of the 1905 edition).

The name of the monastery decorates the front and back board, and both boards have the gridiron of St. Lawrence, the patron Saint of Ittingen (the monks spelled it Ithingennt). The front board's central stamp is that of Mary and Jesus, the rear is that of St. Lawrence.

One can still visit the Ittingen Charterhouse; it now homes a restaurant, hotel, farm, residences, among other endeavors.

This binding does still have working closure clasps.

The work within is the first volume, of a 1588 Latin language four-volume series, of orationes and mediations of Louis of Granada. The work was translated into Latin by Michael ab Isselt.

About Louis of Granada -

Louis of Granada (1504 – 31 December 1588), was a Dominican friar who was noted as theologian, writer and preacher. Besides ascetical theology, his published works treat of Scripture, dogma, ethics, biography and church history. He is best known, however, for his ascetical writings. Most of them were translated into many languages. In 1539, at the age of 35, he wrote a small tract on the method of prayer for a student who had written to him for advice. This tract developed into his first book, The Book of Prayer and Meditation, published in 1554. The unexpected success of the book led him to dedicate himself to writing on spiritual themes for all. He led a life of an ascetic, his cell being poor and having few possessions. He wrote for 35 years, producing 49 works. - Wikipedia

Bibliographic Details -

Universal Short Title Catalogue (USTC) number 688757. Not rare.

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 14 x 8 x 4 cm. Blind-tooled and stamped pigskin binding with closure clasps. Oak beveled boards. Spine with four raised double-bands. Title in manuscript on spine, and a library label. Front and rear boards with central stamps (Mary/Jesus, Lawrence), under the stamps the name of the monastery and their symbol (gridiron of Lawrence) and in the upper and lower frames, two blind florets. Slightest trace of green edges, but it has seemd to fade away.

Pages - cii, 549, [3], four blank leaves

Collation - * - ****12, *****6, A-Z12, Aa-Bb12

Condition -

See pictures. Only the first book. Boards with rubbing, thumbing, etc. Front board with a "xx" scratched in the top frame. Spine crazed with some cracking; title/author and book in manuscript on spine, with a spine label at bottom of spine, "Ludovicus". A wormhole in rear joint. One clasp a little loose and can be rotated on its flap. Some cracking at front hinge, remnants of a tab indicating there was a removed blank front endpaper. Many bibliographical notes on pastedown/endpapers.

Someone noted that Granada was a Dominican, in graphite, on the title page, and the Carthusians of Ittingen(sis) wrote their provenance mark. Someone colored the printer's mark. Pages toned throughout. Occasional thumb, rust spots/foxing, candle ember spot, ink spot, page edge chip, dog-ear, etc. Occasional moisture mark at edge. Occasional slip in printing blocks causing broken lines. Some gatherings more toned/foxed than others.