[Rarebooks] FS: Incunabula of Pius II's attempt to convert the Sultan of Turkey

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(INCUNABULA) Pius II [Aeneas Sylvius Piccolomini]. EPISTOLA AD MAHUMETEM. 
(Cologne: Ulrich Zel. N.d. but circa 1469-1472). 4to. 53 leaves (of 54, lacking 
the initial blank). Gothic type. 27 lines to the page. 4-line initial capital 
P, underlining for the title heading, and initial-strokes throughout supplied 
in red. 19th century half calf and marbled boards, nicely rebacked. Some minor 
worming on the blank inner margin of the first 6 leaves, neatly repaired. A 
large (24.4cm x 14cm) wide margined copy. Red edges.     $20,000.00 (trade 
discount allowed)
Pope Pius II’s public letter to Mehmed II, attempting to convert the Turkish 
ruler to Christianity, written in the year of the Pope’s death in 1464. The 
central idea of his pontificate (1458-1464) was the liberation of Europe from 
Turkish domination. He attempted a military solution, by raising a small army, 
traveled to Ancona to see them embark, caught a fever and died there. This is 
one of 4 editions, all very closely related, printed by Zel circa 1462-1472. 
Ours is listed second by Goff (P-697). There are a total of 5 holdings in Goff 
for all 4 of the editions. British Museum I, page 191; Hain 172. Note: the 
Friedlander copy in 2001 of variant Goff P-698, described as, “19th cent. leather 
gilt, extremities scuffed.” sold for $28,000 plus hammer of $4,900.

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