First edition of Maffei´s great history of India
Klubbat för:
12000 SEK
Estimate
15 000-20 000 SEK
Description
INDIA. MAFFEI, GIOVANNI PIETRO. Historiarum Indicarum libri XVI. Selectarum item ex India epistolarum eodem interprete libri IV. Accessit Ignatii Loiolae vita postremo recognita. Et in opera singula copiosus index. Florentiae (apud Philippum Iunctam) 1588.
Folio (321x215 mm.). (4), 1-570, (2 blank), (28) pp. Title with woodcut printer's device, nice woodcut initials.
Contemporary vellum, soiled, spine darkened. Title with some foxing and spotting, some dampstaining in outer margin, wormholes in upper margin of about 25 leaves, not affecting text, some foxing and dampstaining, mostly in outer margin. Traces of removed bookplate on inside of upper cover.
First edition of Maffei's great history of India. Ten Latin editions, two in Italian and two in French appeared before 1621. Based on primary material, it still remains a valuable account today.
The book is divided into 16 books. Most of it deals with the Portuguese conquests and Jesuit missionary work in the East Indies and India up to about 1557. Maffei was the first author to use Jesuit letters extensively, as well as many secular sources including Fernando Mendes Pinto.
From the library of Swedish antiquarian bookdealer Björn Löwendahl (1941-2013).
Photo.
Auktionsnummer:
6040
Date:
2015-12-15