Johannes de Sancto Laurentio's Postillae evangeliorum dominicalium totius anni et aliquorum festorum

Johannes de Sancto Laurentio's Postillae evangeliorum dominicalium totius anni et aliquorum festorum
Fratres Vitae Communis, 1480
JOHANNES DE SANCTO LAURENTIO (fl. 1480). Postillae evangeliorum dominicalium totius anni et aliquorum festorum. Brussels: [Fratres Vitae Communis,] 4 October 1480. [Bound with:] MARTINUS POLONUS (d. 1298). Margarita decreti seu Tabula Martiniana. [Speyer: Peter Drach, about 1482-89.]

First and only edition of a work from the first press at Brussels, with manuscript pastedowns. This collection of sermons was printed by the Brothers of the Common Life, who before the advent of printing had been granted special licenses for copying and illuminating in that city. Printing must have been a natural transition, and their earliest extant work is dated 1476. The present copy is bound with the second edition of a work on canon law by 13th-century chronicler Martin of Poland. The last copy of the Postillae to appear at auction was in 1905. HC 9410, 10834*; BMC IX 172, II 494; BSB-Ink M-228, Bod-inc J-195; Goff J-433, M-319; ISTC ij00433000, im00319000.

Chancery folio (280 x 205mm). First work: 196 leaves (of 198, without final two blanks); second work: 119 leaves (of 121, without first and last blanks). First work with red paragraph marks and capital strokes (first leaf strengthened at inner margin, some leaves toned, occasional soiling, some dampstaining at outer edge). Rebound preserving contemporary blindstamped calf, pastedowns and wooden boards, brass catchplates, manuscript fore-edge title, fragments of a c.1300 German manuscript reused as pastedowns (rebacked, lacking straps). Provenance: manuscript note at end of first work.