Albertus Magnus, and others, 31 August 1496

ALBERTUS MAGNUS (c.1200–1280). Philosophia pauperum (version B) – AEGIDIUS COLUMNA (c.1243–1316). De regimine principum (excerpt) – ALBERTUS MAGNUS. De virtute intellectiva. Venice: Georgius Arrivabenus, 31 August 1496.

Most extensively illustrated incunable edition, with the celebrated depiction of cerebral ventricles. First appearing in Farfengus’ edition of 1490 (see lot 2), the woodcut of a head with three superimposed spheres representing the brain's ventricles was a useful tool for conceptualising how different parts of the brain are responsible for specific functions. Albertus Magnus’ Philosophia pauperum presents predominantly Aristotelian natural philosophy to new audiences. This is the sixth edition overall and the third to include the woodcut of the brain, though the additional woodcuts added by Arrivabenus make this the best illustrated edition. HC *506; BMC V 386; BSB-Ink A-130; Bod-inc A-131; Essling 894; GW 713; Goff A-298; Klebs 23.6; ISTC ia00298000.

Chancery quarto (200 × 144mm). 53 leaves (of 54, without final blank). Full-page woodcut on title depicting Earth as the womb of the Cosmos, 5-line initials in red over printed guide-letters, woodcut initial on a2r, two woodcut diagrams one of the heavens and the other of the winds and compass points, a full-page woodcut of the divisions of the human mind on e6r (title-page trimmed at top, with dampstain/spots and some paper strengthening on verso, small edge chips on a1-2, rubrication showing through and bleeding, marginal spotting). 19th-century vellum (hinges repaired, endleaves yellowed). Provenance: contemporary German marginalia and title-page inscription – Frank J. Clemens (1815–1862; German Catholic philosopher; note from his son tipped to endpaper) – Adolf Dyroff (1866–1943, German Catholic philosopher of Bonn; ownership inscription).