Soccus's Sermones de sanctis

Soccus's Sermones de sanctis
Richardus Pafraet, c.1479-80
SOCCUS, frater ordinis Cistersiensis (attributed to). Sermones de sanctis. Deventer: [Richardus Pafraet, c.1479-80].

Second edition of a collection of Cistercian sermons on the lives of the saints, in a contemporary binding. This edition was long thought to be the first, but examination of paper evidence suggests that it post-dates Greyff's Reutlingen edition, dated to "not after 1478" by a dated inscription in a copy at Leipzig. “Frater Soccus” has been variously identified as the Cistercian Conradus de Brundelsheim and Johannes Bott (or Bottis) of the convent of Marienrod. Richardus Pafraet was the first printer at Deventer; his press was active from 1477 to 1485 and maintained important relations with the Cologne printing trade while also serving the vast market to the west. Not in the Bavarian State Library. C 5546; BMC IX 46; GW 7411; ILC 2001; CIBN S-231; Goff S-584; ISTC is00584000.

Chancery folio (283 x 200mm). 291 leaves (of 292, without initial blank). Initials, paragraph marks, and underlining in red (A8 remargined at gutter, some dampstaining, occasional spots and wormtracks). Contemporary Dutch blindstamped calf over wooden boards, reused manuscript quire guards on some gatherings and rear pastedown, clasp, manuscript title on fore-edge (lacking one clasp, some surface losses).