Folio (319 x 203 mm). 242 ff. [iv, title, introduction and contents], of which 237 leaves in large Gothic type with 5 leaves in smaller Roman types of pharmaceutical labels printed in red and black on one side only (rectos and versos), including one leaf of errata at end. Contemporary green vellum over thin pasteboard, tooled in gold with the arms of Ferdinand Hofmann, Freiherr von Grevenstein, two triple fillet borders of unstained vellum, gilt fleurons in the corners and an ornamented gilt border, spine similarly tooled with gilt fleurons in each panel, flat spine similarly tooled, lettered in upper compartment, edges sprinkled in red and blue and painted with red, blue and yellow lines, slightly rubbed, missing two fore-edge ties, a few small splits, a little fading and scratching, else excellent condition, housed in modern green linen chemise and half-morocco slipcase. Generally a very good, clean copy.

Provenance: Baron Ferdinand Hoffman (his arms on the upper cover, and large full-page booklabel, engraved by Lucas Kilian after M. Gondelach, on the front pastedown). Hoffman (1540-1607) was Baron of Grunbuchel and Strechau, hereditary Steward of Steiermark and Grand Marshal of Austria, financial adviser to Rudolf II in Prague and an ardent bibliophile. By his death he had collected over 10,000 volumes, and the books he had bound were usually in this stained green vellum binding with his arms and similar tooling; Robert Honeyman (sale Sotheby’s, 31 October 1978, lot 498, £5,500); British Rail Pension Fund (sale Sotheby’s, 27 September 1988, £13,200 to Quaritch); Christie’s, 28 November 2001, lot 55, £28,200.