The doctrinal of sapyence.

Accession number:

PML 19317

Uniform title:

Le doctrinal de sapience English.

Published:

Westminster : William Caxton, [after 7 May 1489]

Description:

[92] leaves : illus. (woodcuts) ; 27 cm (fol.)

Credit Line:

Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1912.

Notes:

An additional chapter (three leaves) is found in one copy printed on vellum (Windsor RL), possibly a presentation copy (ISTC).
Caxton's device, leaf L10v.
Collation: A-I⁸ K-L¹⁰: 92 leaves.
Paper format: Chancery folio
PML copy leaf dimensions: 27 x 18.8 cm
PML copy missing 2 leaves: L1.10, replaced in facsimile.
Printed in Caxton's type 5:113B.
Probably by an anonymous monk of Cluny. Ascriptions to Guy de Roye and Jean Gerson cannot be upheld (ISTC).
Title and imprint from colophon (leaf L10r): Thus endeth the doctrinal of sapyence the whyche is ryght utile and prouffytable to alle crysten men/ whyche is translated out of Frenshe in to englysshe by wyllyam Caxton at westmester fynysshed the .vii. day of may the yere of our lord / M / cccc lxxx ix. Caxton me fieri fecit.
Translated from the French by William Caxton.
Two woodcuts (Hodnett 318 & 325).

Binding:

Modern full orange goatskin over paper boards (27 x 20cm), sewn on 6 supports by Duprez-Lahey. Plain paper and vellum fly leaves; plain endbands; gilt edges.

Inscriptions/Markings:

Hand decoration: No rubrication required, printed initials and paragraph marks. Annotations: No notations in text.

Provenance:

John Moore (1646-1714), Bishop of Norwich and then Ely, originally part of a volume containing three other Caxton imprints (Royal Book, Book of Good Manners, Dicts and Sayings); Cambridge University, gift of George I, who purchased Moore's library, 1715, after which the volume was broken up and the Doctrinal exchanged with Huth, 1870; Henry Huth (1815-1878) and Alfred Henry Huth (1850-1910), Ex Museo Huthii booklabel (seventh front fly leaf verso); Huth sale, part II, Sotheby's, 5 June 1912, lot 2416 to Quaritch (with collation note by F.S. Ferguson, rear fly leaf) for Morgan; J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), purchased in 1912.

Classification:

Incunable Collection

Catalog Link:

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Genres:

Incunabula

Printers' devices (Printing)

Goatskin bindings (Binding)

Century:

19th century

Department:

Printed Books