Pierced binding.- Moritz of Hesse (Count) Davidis regii prophetae Psalterium, Vario Genere Carminis

Pierced binding.- Moritz of Hesse (Count) Davidis regii prophetae Psalterium, Vario Genere Carminis Latine Redditum, second edition, collation: A-Z, Aa-Oo4, P1, 147 leaves, woodcut Hesse arms on title and verso of final leaf, final leaf inner corner torn away with slight loss of text on recto and imprint on verso, upper hinge broken, contemporary gilt armorial pierced binding commissioned by the author from the Schmalkalden binder Hans Bapest, with cut stars, blooms, hearts and bars in the vellum panels to reveal the red silk beneath, Count Moritz’s arms appear in centre of upper cover, impressed decoration includes three different rolls and a flowering potted plant (centre of lower cover), two rolls repeated on spine, lilies in the compartments, edges gilt and gauffered with flowers and designs, evidence of green linen ties, yellow silk head-bands (cords broken, head-and tailbands holding), spine a little soiled, small 4to (binding 185 x 155mm.), preserved in modern cloth chemise and drop-back boxSchmalkalden, [Michael Schmuck], 1593.*** Pierced vellum bindings are extraordinarily rare. A substantial proportion of those known from this period are found on copies of this second edition (the work was first published in 1590): six are recorded in total, all clearly by the same workshop (these include Bodleian, 4o A 111 Th.BS, British Library BL c27e7 and the three illustrated in L. Bickell, Bucheinbände des XV. bis XVIII. Jahrhunderts aus Hessischen Bibliotheken, Leipzig,1896, pl.29.Known as "The Learned", Moritz (1572-1632) worked on this Protestant paraphrase for eleven years, from ages eight to eighteen. The manuscript inscriptions on the title-page and flyleaf record the movement of this volume among scholars in the Landgrave’s immediate circle: Reformer and theologian Daniel Tossanus (1541-1602), his son-in-law Theodor Hack and mathematician and chemist Johann Hartmann (1568-1631), who later served as Moritz’s personal physician.Literature: Adams B 1477; VD 16B 3258; Nixon, Broxbourne Library pp. 105-7; Foot, The History of Bookbinding as a Mirror of Society, pp. 20 & fig.30; L. Bickell, Bucheinbände des XV. bis XVIII. Jahrhunderts aus Hessischen Bibliotheken, Leipzig, 1896, pl.29.