Fine example of a sixteenth century chained binding, housing a commentary on the Apocalypse of St. John, by Rupert of Deutz. The binding, a contemporary German calf over wooden boards, here preserves the chain with which it would have once been attached to the shelves in the 16th century, the practice of chained books ended by the 17th century, and thus very few examples have endured.
Rupert of Deutz (c.1075/80-1129/30) was a Benedictine theologian from Liege, he studied under Abbot Berengar and became an influential composer of liturgical books within the context of the conflict between the Papacy and the Empire. As Van Engen explains, Deutz was one of the few medieval theologians of interest to both Catholic and Evangelical reformers in the 16th century (University of California Press, 1983).
Provenance: first sold at Christie’s is 2022 (Fine printed books and manuscripts 7/9/2002, 9405-185A, GBP 3,525); this is probably also the same copy sold at Sotheby’s 1959 (TIN-116, 14 GBP), sold to Edwards, the description matching almost perfectly, a difference in size might be the cataloguer took measurements of the binding rather than the text block); Roger de Kesel, bookplate on front pastedown.
Rare, we locate a single copy of the text in the United States, at Columbia University.
Not in Adams; not in BL STC German.
