A Collection of Valerius Maximus

22 editions 1527-1726, bound in 23 volumes. Provenance: Bengt Ollfors.

Valerius Maximus was a Latin writer and author of a collection of historical anecdotes: Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX ("Nine books of memorable deeds and sayings"). He was active during the reign of Roman Emperor Tiberius (14 AD-37 AD).

“Factorum et dictorum memorabilium libri ix” was intended for use in the schools of rhetoric and written to exemplify human virtues and vices. The book’s anecdotes, drawn chiefly from Roman history, include extracts from the annals of other peoples, principally the Greeks. Despite its contradictions and errors, his collection proved very popular, especially in the Middle Ages. Valerius made considerable use of Cicero and Livy, and he also used Pompeius Trogus, Varro, and some Greek writers. Valerius was a champion of the empire and of the emperor Tiberius, to whom the work is dedicated.

The following editions of Valerius Maximus’ works are included in the present collection:

1527 – Paris, S. de Colines. 15 x 9,5 cms. 244 leaves. Later tree-marbled boards, title torn to bottom with partial loss of imprint, old circular ownership stamp F.F., library stamp to title.

1543 – Paris, S. de Colines. 16,5 x 10 cms. 244 leaves. Old full calf, worn, spine renewed, old annotations and underlinings, very faint waterstaining. Ownership inscriptions to title.

1544/45 – Paris, Estienne. 16,5 x 10,5 cms. 470 pp. Old full calf, armorial device in gilt on covers, spine renewed preserving original backstrip. Label of Leo Olschki, Venice. Marginal waterstain to initial leaves, a few wormholes in upper margin neatly repaired, light foxing. Adams V108.

1545 – Venice, Officina Erasmiana (name of Erasmus crossed out in ink). 15,6 x 11 cm. 226 leaves. Recent full cloth, faintly waterstained throughout, old annotations in ink (cropped by binder). Bookplate of Bengt Ollfors.

1546 – Venice, Bindonum & Pasinum. Folio. 30,2 x 21 cms. Bound in an old manuscript leaf, very worn, spine perished. Some slight wear, foxing, soiling and worming to initial and final leaves. [12] + 246 leaves. Woodcut device to first and last page. Some neat contemporary or old annotations, occasional faint staining.

1558 – Venice. Folio. 31 x 21 cms. [16] + 222 leaves. Pagination irregular. Contemporary limp vellum, worn. One leaf with burnhole affecting a few words, another five leaves soiled / darkened, occasional small stains.

1558 – Paris, Marnef. 12 x 8 cms. 1-256, 247-502 pp. Irregular pagination. Old full vellum, worn, without ties, endpapers renewed. Ownership inscription to title.

1564 – Lyon, Gryphius. 16,3 x 10,5 cms. 430 pp. Contemporary limp vellum, very worn, endleaves somewhat soiled and torn, with annotations in ink. Internally fine. Bookplate of Bengt Ollfors.

1589 – Brescia, Turlinum. 15,5 x 10 cms. 430 pp. Contemporary limp vellum, worn, front endleaves scribbled in ink and with a recent stamp.

1601 – [Geneva], Chouët. 12 x 7,7 cms. 876 pp. Original blindstamped pigskin, spine with raised bands and a paper label. Lightly worn, ownership inscription dated 1602 on title.

1612 – [Leiden], Plantin / Raphelengius. 10,7 x 5,8 cms. 404 pp. Contemporary vellum, covers warped, worn & soiled; ties missing, foxing to initial leaves, slight waterstaining to final leaves, a few old annotations.

1620 – Venice, Spineda. 14,8 x 10,2 cms. 247 leaves. Later patterned boards, old booksellers’ labels, a few leaves torn along outer margin affecting marginal notes.

1651 – Amsterdam, Janssonius. 11,2 x 5,6 cms. [8] + 278 pp. With engraved title. Contemporary vellum, somewhat darkened and soiled.

1662 – Rotterdam, Leers. 13,5 x 8 cms. [24] + 578 pp. With engraved title. Contemporary vellum gilt, lightly soiled, name to front cover, “Briela”. Very faint recurring waterstain.

1670 – Leiden, Officina Hackiana. 18 x 11,5 cm. [16] pp. (incl. engraved frontispiece) + 856 + [32] pp. Contemporary vellum, old armorial bookplate, front flyleaf excised, old ownership inscription: John Dawnay. Edition dedicated to Queen Christina of Sweden.

1673 – London, Redmayne. 12 x 7 cms. [12] + 384 pp. With engraved title. Old full mottled calf, very slight damage to top of spine, hinges a little weak.

1678 – Venice, Officina Prodocta. 15 x 7,8 cms. 454 pp. Later patterned boards. Some faint waterstaining, insignificant worming, rear pastedown damaged by water. Neat old ownership inscription to front flyleaf (1824).

1679 – Paris, Thiboust & Esclassan. 24,5 x 7,5 cms. [24] + 68 + 466 + [82] pp. + engraved frontispiece. Later wrappers. Wavy and slightly discolored from damp, several leaves creased, occasional stains.

1690 – Amsterdam, Elzevir. 11,5 x 6,5 cms. [8] + 328 pp. With engraved title. Later half leather, rubbed.

1691 – Venice, Officina Prodocta. 14 x 8 cms. 456 pp. Woodcut portrait of Valerius Maximus on title. Contemporary limp vellum, a little worn and soiled, some leaves darkened, occasional slight staining. One leaf torn in upper outer corner.

1700 – Lyon, Molin and others. Latin-francois, in 2 volumes. 15,8 x 9 cms. [12] + 672; + [2] + 508 pp. Two volumes, contemporary full calf, spines gilt in compartments with raised bands, marbled edges and endleaves. One spine chipped at head, stamp to second title, slight foxing. Fine.

1726 – Leiden, Luchtmans. 25 x 20 cms. [48] pp. including engraved frontispiece + 914 + [184] pp. Contemporary full vellum stamped in blind, spine lettered in black ink, a little defective and lower joint cracked.

See description.