Law 1549 Libellus Forensis Papiensis Practica by Giampietro Ferraris (Ferrari). Lyon, France

An important 15th century legal reference work, this edition printed in 1549, with a handsome binding that can be attributed to a specific 16th century bindery.

This copy has nice clear annotations, in the red normally associated with rubrication, throughout in an old hand (likely contemporary).

Ferraris (circa 1364-1420 A.D.) was an Italian jurist who, circa 1400, began to write Practica Papiensis, taking 15 years to complete the endeavor. Ferraris produced a practical guide to many legal situations of the 15th century. The work was reprinted many times, well into the 16th century, testifying to its relevant application in the judicial fields of the time. This edition has additional scholarship, the full title roughly translated as:

"The most excellent legal practice of Giovanni Pietro de Ferrariis, a Doctor of Both Laws and a citizen of Pavia most celebrated throughout the world. It is not only useful but also necessary for all, both judges and lawyers. It has been illustrated with the most abundant additions by the Doctor of Both Laws Francesco de Curte, Bernardino Landriani, and other excellent practitioners. To this have also been added the most learned summaries of cases by Giovanni Riccio of Venice, a most learned legal scholar, now more corrected than before. Lastly, a new and most comprehensive index of things and words has been added, which has not been produced until now and in which you will find nothing relevant to the matter missing."

Provenance -

On the title page is the stamp of the library of the kingdom of Wurttemberg of the 19th century; the "hand" indicates it was in a private library, not that of the public. The same coat-of-arms can be seen on their Kreuzer (coin) of 1853 (KM# 590 at World Coin Price Guide).

About the Binding -

Searching Einbanddatenbank (a German historic book binder database) the tools used on this clearly come from workshop w007729, which is attributed to Wittenberg (not Wurttemberg!). This was a prolific workshop that made many beautiful bindings. List of tools used on this binding:

Inner frame of "putto" (putti), binder's cylinder r005107.

Outer frame of scenes of Chist's life - No exact match, but r003626 and r05137 clearly show it was their motif as the border's are just almost exactly the same; the roll on our example must have been a development.

Shrub in the central panel - stamp S037683

Leaf in middle frame - stamp S038167

I'm unable to find who T.S.O. was, but the workshop is attributed to Caspar Genseler.

Bibliographic Details -

Universal Short Title Catalogue (USTC) number 157831, 2 copies recorded in the world's libraries but there were a number of printing attributions (various states of title page/colophon) so there's more copies in the world's libraries if the various states are considered.

I've read that the various printer's attributions were made so that the printer's could each claim the book and bring the work with them to book fairs (like the Frankfurt Book Fair).

Pettegree, Walsby, Wilkinson - reference 70431

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 26 x 18 x 4 cm. Pigskin binding, tooled in blind, over pasteboard boards. Boards with three frames and a central panel; central panel with flowers and flowering bushes, inner frame with various putti, middle frame with leaves and flowers, and outer frame with scenes from the life of Christ. Front board says "T.S.O. 1557" and it has been colored red. Spine with four raised bands. Gatherings of eight, but quarto in size.

Pages – xxxx, 1-533, [3]

Collation – AA-BB8, CC4, a-z8, A-K8, L4

Condition -

See pictures. Binding with some wear to edges and corners, rubbing, and some stains. Binder and year colored in on front board; spine with some darkening, crazing and a library paper label. No flyleaf.

Text block with a little toning and occasional dog-eared page, thumb, rust spot, etc. Title page with thumbing and a library stamp. Corner chip to bottom of Cc1 leaf. Some red underlining and marginal annotations throughout, in an old hand (occasionally bleeds to facing page). d7 with 1 inch hole in bottom margin, could possibly be a paper production error. On h7, deckling at bottom corner. Candle ember mark on z1 and K2. Some moisture marks towards rear from upper corner and fore-edge.