Rodericus Zamorensis, not after 1472

RODERICUS ZAMORENSIS (1404–1470). Speculum vitae humanae. [Cologne: Ulrich Zel, not after 1472].

Rare early Cologne edition of Rodericus’ Mirror of Human Life, the Heber-Smets-Scranton copy, with four pages of contemporary manuscript notes. This autobiographical moral treatise outlines the benefits and obligations of the various secular and religious trades and professions of man, including medicine, husbandry, mechanics, mercantile trade, mathematics, and astronomy. It was first printed at Rome in 1468 by Sweynheym and Pannartz and proved immensely popular; at least 20 editions, including translations, were printed in the 15th century alone. HC *13933; BMC I 187; BSB-Ink S-60; Bod-inc R-085; CIBN R-140; GW M38480; Goff R-218; Klebs 857.4; ISTC ir00218000.

Chancery quarto (209 × 141mm). 204 leaves plus 2 leaves in contemporary manuscript. Initials in red, rubricated, contemporary manuscript notes and early marginalia (a little dust-soiled with occasional stains, small marginal repairs in leaves h5–6 and x5–6). 19th-century English red morocco gilt, gilt edges, offsetting from now-removed manuscript quire guards in some gatherings, some contemporary manuscript signatures preserved (lightly rubbed at extremities); modern chemise and slipcase by James MacDonald. Provenance: early manuscript notes, some trimmed, as well as a page at front and three pages at end of manuscript notes – Richard Heber (1773–1833; inkstamp done by Dibdin; his sale, Sotheby’s, 10 April 1834, lot 7397) – A[lexander] A[ugustus] Smets (1795–1862; signature dated Savannah, 8 June 1835; his sale lot 2137) – W[illiam] W[alker] Scranton (1844–1916, Pennsylvania railroad magnate; signature dated Christmas 1871 with initials C.M.S. [?Katherine Maria Smith (1851–1935) whom he married in 1874]) – William W. Scranton (1917–2013, Governor of Pennsylvania; and Mary L. Scranton, 1918–2015, First Lady of Pennsylvania and aegis of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory; their sale, Freeman’s, Philadelphia, 30 September 2016, lot 152).