Diogenis Laertii clarissimi historici De uita, & moribus philosophorum libri decem and Luciani Samosatensis oratoris clarissimi De ueris narrationibus commentarii duo festiuissimi

Diogenis Laertii clarissimi historici De uita, & moribus philosophorum libri decem and Luciani Samosatensis oratoris clarissimi De ueris narrationibus commentarii duo festiuissimi

De uita, & moribus philosophorum libri decem or Lives, teachings, and sayings of famous philosophers is an account of the lives and sayings of Greek philosophers, by Diogenes Laertius (active 3rd century AD).
Lucian of Samosata's (c. 125-after 180), Vera historia or A True Story is the earliest known work of fiction to include an account of space travel and alien lifeforms.

16th century blind tooled calf binding over wooden boards, bound at the workshop of Nicholas Spierinck, a Dutch-born binder, who settled in Cambridge early in the 16th century. He remained in Cambridge until his death in 1545, but appears to have ceased working as a binder about 1533.

Frame formed of a blind tooled roll with gryphon, lion, wyvern, and the binder's mark, with initials NS ; inner panel filled with roll of diaper design with quatrefoils within each diamond. These are rolls number 1 and 2, plate XXVIIA, in Gray, G.J., The earliest Cambridge stationers & bookbinders..., Oxford: 1904. Rebacked, with a red leather spine label with lettering in gilt. Some of the original spine leather has been retained in lower panels of spine, as has the original front pastedown, formed of manuscript binder's waste, the text of which is Oldradus de Ponte, Consilia. Titling in ink on fore-edge. Evidence of ties on upper board.

Diogenes Laertius
Lucian, of Samosata

Basel: Valentinus Curio (-1532)

1524

Binding by Nicholas Spierinck (-1545 or 1546) Inscription on title-page in a 16th century hand: "W Bill". With the initials WB stamped on both covers. This is thought to be William Bill, educated at St. John's College, Cambridge 1532-3, Fellow 1535, Master of Trinity College, 1551, Provost of Eton, 1559.

Inscription at head of title-page: "Robertus Naunton". This is followed by a date which has been effaced but is thought to be "1585". Possibly the writer and politician Sir Robert Naunton (1563-1635), who was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Inscription on title-page and repeated leaf a1 recto: "Wm McKenny. T.C.D. 1816" -- Sir William McKenny (1798-1866), who graduated B.A. from Trinity College, Dublin in 1819.

Late 19th/early 20th century blue bookseller's label on rear pastedown, with lettering in gilt: "F.W. Count, Dereham".

Tipped-in: note on binding and 16th century owners by A.G.W. Murray (1884-1919), who is described as being "now librarian Trin. Coll. Camb.".

Gilt tooled leather bookplate of E. Ph. Goldschmidt (1887-1954). See E.P. Goldschmidt: Gothic & Renaissance bookbindings exemplified and illustrated from the author's collection, no. 125.

Purchased by the University of Liverpool from Goldschmidt for £7.10.0 in 1942, using funds provided by Mrs Clara Hornby.

USTC, 637611
VD16, D 1837
USTC, 673735
VD16, L 3056

Quarto (23 cm)