[Rarebooks] FS: Illustrrated Physiognomy, Palmistry, and Fortune-telling: 1533

[charles agvent]

One of many interesting items in our list of New Arrivals for January, 
including nearly a dozen emblem books.  View the list at 
http://www.erols.com/agvent

COCLES, BARTOLOMMEO DELLA ROCCA. BARPTOLOMAEI COCLITIS BONONIENSIS, 
NATURALIS PHILOSOPHIAE AC MEDICINAE DOCTORIS, PHYSIOGNOMIAE & 
CHIROMANTIAE COMPENDIUM. Strassburg: J. Albertus 1533. Small octavo 
(3-7/8" x 5-3/4") bound in old vellum dyed green; [105] (of 106, 
lacking A3 of the preface) leaves plus 2 blank leaves at the end. 
Title page with woodcut border and illustrated with numerous woodcuts, 
nearly one a page, of portraits and diagrams of hands. Originally 
published at Bologna in 1504, the year of Cocles's death, this is a 
scarce and early work on Physiognomy, Palmistry, and Fortune-telling. 
Comprises a preface byCocles, an anonymous handbook of physiognomy in 
25 brief chapters, and the "Chiromantiae compendium" by Andre Corve. 
Cuts of 23 heads (6 heads lacking on the missing leaf) illustrate the 
Physiognomia. They are in pairs, except for one that is single. For 
most of the Chiromantia (D4r to O2v), each page consists of a diagram 
of the palm of a hand over its explanation in letterpress, a total of 
158 woodcuts, each with explanatory text below it. The palms are on 
floral or foliate backgrounds, printed white on black. On D3v and O4r 
there is a full-page diagram of a palm with the colophon on O3v. There 
was a German edition by the same printer in the same year as this 
Latin edition. Neither is very common. The OCLC locates only one copy 
of this edition and it is grossly imperfect. Old armorial ownership 
stamp of "Grof Zichy Odon" on the title page and the bottom margin of 
one text page. Woodcut impressions strong and clean. Small tears and 
light wear to vellum. Very Good copy and quite scarce.    $2500
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CHARLES AGVENT
291 Linden Road
Mertztown, PA 19539-8750
610-682-4750; FAX: 610-682-4620
agvent at erols.com
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