De co[m]mendatione libri psalterij et vtilitate legendi et psallendi in psalterio sequitur et est talis.

Accession number: 
PML 26107
Uniform title: 
Postilla super psalterium German
Author: 
Nicholas, of Lyra, approximately 1270-1349.
Published: 
[Strasbourg] : [Printer of Henricus Ariminensis (Georg Reyser?)], [about 1474]
Description: 
[404] leaves ; 31 cm (fol.)
Credit Line: 
Purchased in 1928.
Notes: 

BSB-Ink dates about 1478 from paper evidence.
Collation: [1⁴ 2-41¹⁰]: 404 leaves, leaf [2]/1 blank.
German preface (leaf [1]/3r): "Ein kurtz verrede uber den spater und furchtbar lerwye sich der leser diss bůchs haltten sol. das er nit in irrunge oder verdriesz gefůrt werde. und spricht also. [A]ls etwan dashimelbrot in ime gehebt hat alle[n] wolust un[d] gesmack der süszikait..."
Latin preface (leaf [1]/1r): "De co[m]mendatione libri psalterii et utilitate legendi et psallendi in psalterio sequitur et est talis. [N]ota super psalterium in glosa..."
Madsen (Katalog over det Kongelige Biblioteks inkunabler, 2876) assigned to Michael Greyff.
Paper format: Chancery folio
PML copy leaf dimensions: 29.5 x 21 cm, témoin (leaf [38]/9): 29.8 x 21.5 cm
PML copy with leaf [2]/1.10 (blank/"Ir menschen") misbound as outside leaf of quire [1]. Leaf [2]/2r with manuscript quire number "2."
PML copy with water staining in margins, sometimes heavy.
Prefaces in Latin and German; text in German.
Printed in type 1:120G ascribed to Georg Reyser by Ohly (Gutenberg-Jahrbuch, 1956), and tentatively to Heinrich Eggestein by Needham (Christie's, Doheny, I: 19).
Title derived from GW and Verfasserlexikon; ISTC identifies as Psalterium [Latin and German].
Translated by Heinrich von Mügeln, see Die deutsche Literatur des Mittelalters: Verfasserlexikon (2nd ed.), III: 817-18.

Binding: 
Contemporary German pink-stained sheepskin with blind filet framing over partially-beveled wooden boards (30.5 x 22 cm), sewn on 3 double supports. Plain paper pastedowns; decorative endbands. 2 clasps, wanting (barbell catchplates remain). 2 early modern paper title labels on spine, one partially torn away.
Variant Title: 

Psalterium [Latino-Germanicum]

Inscriptions/Markings: 

Hand decoration: Rubricated, red lombards, paragraph marks, and capital strokes. Black and red lombards at major canonical divisions; Beatus vir (leaf [2]/2r) with marginal red flourishing. Annotations: Marginal numeration of psalms. Note on leaf [2]/2 noting Lyra's authorship of glosses. Contemporary manuscript numeral signatures, mostly trimmed (bottom center margin) and guide numbers for psalms (bottom right corner).

Provenance: 
Innsbruck, St. Joseph (Servites), inscription, "ad Conv. D. Jo[seph]. Ord. Serv. Me. [?], 1817," (leaf [1]/1r); [unidentified sale catalogue, Gilhofer & Ranschburg?, before 1928]; Lathrop C. Harper, Selection of Incunabula III, Oct. 1928, lot 315; Pierpont Morgan Library, paper label (front pastedown), purchased from Harper, December 1928.
Classification: 
Department: