Hieroglyphica, sive De sacris Aegyptorum, aliarumque gentium literis commentarij [...]. A Coelio Augustino Curione duobus libris aucti, & multis imaginibus illustrati.

Folio: [10] ff., 12 pp., ff. 13-441-[25] (toned).

Contemp. blind panel-stamped pigskin, covers with elaborate roll borders and central panel stamp (upper: Fortuna; lower: Iustitia), spine with 5 raised bands (lower cover rubbed and def. at fore-edge and corners, tail def.). Very good copy.

Enlarged ed. (1st 1556) of a popular encyclopedia of symbols by the Italian humanist Valeriano Bolzani (1477-1558), written under the influence of the rediscovered "Hieroglyphica" of Horapollo. He combined the knowledge gained by Horapollo and his studies (based on over 400 other Greek and Latin sources). The work was divided into sixty books, each focused on a specific symbol and dedicated to various members of the Italian humanist circle (Achille Bocchi, Paolo Giovio, Giorgio Valla, Jacopo Sadoleto, Giles of Rome, Romulus Amaseo, Vittoria Colonna, Reginald Pole, Antonio Agustin, &c.). Valeriano mostly discusses natural history through the emblem images with information he procured from medieval bestiaries and the "Physiologus". His work became a widely used source for emblem writers. Woodcut mark on title and at the end. Full-page woodcut portrait of Valerianus on verso of title. 275 woodcut ill. and some woodcut diagrams.
Ref. VD16 V-117. - Landwehr (German) 616. - Adams V-52. - STC German (BL) 882.
Prov. "M N H F 1607" (blind initials and date on front cover). - Conrad Bachmann (1572-1646), Marburg professor (ownership entry at top of title dated "1609"). - "Eberhardus Wolfius a Todenwardt" (long presentation inscription and Latin poem by Bachmann to a law student, on front endpaper and flyleaf). - "Bibliothek | E. M. | Oberherrlingen | 1839", i.e. the Württemberg politician and collector Eugen von Maucler (1783-1859) (mod. bookpl.).