1552 (Aesop's Fables) Aesopi Phrygis et Aliorum Fabulae... Petreius, Nuremberg

A fun (literally) 16th century printing of Aesop's fables, due to a selection of jokes from Poggio Bracciolini's Liber Facetiarum (credited as being the first joke book) being added to the rear. This edition was printed by the well-regarded Nuremberg printer Johannes Petreius, who is known for the works of science he printed (for example, Copernicus' De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium in 1543).

Petreius (the Nuremberg printer) printed editions of this work in numerous years, this edition being printed by his shop after his death (in 1550), the first edition recorded in Worldcat being printed in 1533.

Since Aesop was a popular 16th century educational work, Petreius was likely reprinting them because they were being bought by new students; this is conjecture, based on the popularity of Aesop at the time in scholarly settings and the handful of times Petreius printed this work.

Beyond Aesop, there's a little additional in this printing, the title roughly translating as:

Aesop's Phrygian and Other Fables. To these are added, according to the Hecatomythion Secondum of Abstemius. Some others of uncertain interpretation, together with selected Poggius's jokes.

An enigmatic provenance accompanies this work; a ticket on the pastedown, and the stamp on the rear of the title page, I've been unable to trace. I'm normally quite good at searching these out!

About Aesop's Fables in the 16th century (from Gemini) -

“In 16th-century Europe, particularly within the circles of Protestant Germany, Aesop's Fables were more than just moral tales; they were a significant tool in the religious and social reforms of the era. Reformers like Martin Luther championed their use, viewing the fables as a biblically sound way to teach Christian ethics and critique the perceived corruption of the Catholic Church. They saw in the animal characters a mirror for human behavior, using the allegories to instruct the populace on virtues like piety, humility, and the rejection of worldly excess. The printing press facilitated the widespread distribution of these fables, often with added commentary that explicitly linked the stories to Protestant theology and social critique. As a result, the fables were integrated into the educational system and household instruction, serving as a didactic bridge between classical wisdom and the emerging Protestant worldview.”

About the Hecatomythium (Gemini) -

Note: This copy contains the "Secondum" noted below.

"The Hecatomythium of Laurentius Abstemius is a collection of 100 original fables written in Latin in the late 15th century. The work is known for its sharp social satire, which includes criticism of the church and clergy. Abstemius (c. 1440–1508) later published a sequel, Hecatomythium Secundum, with another 97 fables. Many of Abstemius's fables follow the familiar Aesopian style, using animals to satirize human behavior. For example, in the tradition of "The Lion and the Mouse," Abstemius wrote a fable (De leone et mure) where the grateful mouse is accidentally stepped on by the lion's daughter, whom the mouse asked for in marriage."

About Poggio Bracciolini's Jokes from Gemini -

Note: per the title page, this book only contains selections from the below

"Poggio Bracciolini's jokes are a collection of anecdotes and witty tales compiled in his work, Liber Facetiarum ("Book of Jokes"). Published in the mid-15th century, it is considered the first printed joke book and had a significant influence on later humorous literature."

Bibliographic Details-

Universal Short Title Catalogue (USTC) 609471; two copies recorded (both at the state library in Munich Germany).

Worldcat also notes the Bavarian copies, as entry 824255321, but no other 1552 copies are noted (although other year's editions of Peteius are).

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 15.5 x 10 x 2 cm. Gatherings of eight. Calf corners and spine with some blind fillet frames. Spine with four raised bands; one compartment with the title in black on label, and one with the year in manuscript. Text block edges sprinkled red. Clamshell protective case. Decorative frame to title page. Some decorated initials.

Pages – xxvi, 1-286, [1]

Collation – A-T8, V4

Condition -

See pictures. Binding with edge/corner/joint wear and a little rubbing. Chip at top of spine. Spine with a little crazing and a manuscript “1552”. Some darkening to top of text block from dust. Some ink marks and an ex-libris applied to pastedown. Some bookseller marks to flyleaf (including some erased).

Text block with some toning throughout; also, some thumbing, fox spots. Two ink marks along fore-edge of text block that bled into the fore-edge margin.

It looks like graphite was used to fill in the frame around the title (the printer's block edge). Library stamp to verso of title page and several rust spots.

A lot of annotations to Index, some trimmed indicating re-binding after; some associated ink smudges. Starting at B gathering, occasional moisture mark from bottom corner (worst at K gathering). Underlining and annotations to text. Occasional ink smudges/drips in text. Starting at the Q gathering a lone worm hole appears in the bottom margin. S5 with a tab stuck to top edge.