[Rarebooks] FS: Erasmus. "Apophthegmatum..." Basel: 1538. (with waste from a Medieval ms)

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Erasmus, Desiderius. APOPHTHEGMATUM LIBRI OCTO, cum Primis Frugiferi, Denuo Vigilanter ab Ipso Recogniti Autore, Non Sine Lucro Novae Accessionis. Basel: (Hieronymus Froben and Nicolaus Episcopius). 1538 (colophon 1539). Early edition. 8vo. (16),864,(28)pp. Index. Title & final verso with Froben's woodcut device. Cont. calf over wooden boards (with manuscript waste from a medieval liturgical manuscript), skillfully rebacked, lacking clasps. Covers with a single roll border within double blind rules. The roll, with alternating Janus and floral patterns, remains unidentified. Top edge of book block has the title and author written in cont. manuscript. Title page lightly soiled, very light marginal water staining to the blank fore-edge of the first gathering and the lower blank margin of the final two gatherings. A fine fresh copy in a contemporary English binding.	$2,500.00
An early edition of the "Apophthegmatum," a collection of proverbs and pithy sayings harvested from classical Greek and Roman authors (the first edition was printed in 1531 by Froben in Basel). This work found a contemporary English audience and demonstrates the popularity of Erasmus' text in the original Latin throughout Europe. It was translated into English in 1540, French in 1543, Italian in 1546, and Spanish in 1549. Provenance: 1. Unidentified early inscription at head of title-page. 2. Jacob La(tus?), contemporary signature to verso of the final leaf.