87

Gregorian Calendar Reform

Sammelband of Four Works.

Continental Imprints circa 1584-1586.
Quarto, all titles bound together in full contemporary German blind-tooled alum-tawed pigskin over wood boards, paper label in ink to spine, panel stamp from front board excised, clasps intact, other than the fault to front board, a very nicely preserved example; all titles are rare at auction and in institutional holdings; because the folding woodcuts are bound between the first and second title, and no digitized images of the second title were available to this cataloguer, it is unclear which title the woodcuts were meant to accompany; 7 3/4 x 6 in.

1) Joannes Busaeus's (1547-1611) Pro Calendario Gregoriano Disputatio Apologetica, Mainz: Ex officina Gasparis Behem, 1585.

2) Heinrich Wolf's (c. 1521-1572) Chronologia sive de Tempore et eius Mutationibus, Zurich: In officina Froschoviana, 1585.

3) Michael Maestlin's (1550-1631) Alterum Examen Novi Pontificalis Gregoriani Kalendarii, Tubingen: Apud Georgium Gruppenbachium, 1586, with four large folding woodcuts comprises the components of unconstructed volvelles.

4) Maestlin, Osander, et alia, Notwendige und grundtliche Gedenckhen, Heidelberg: Johann Spies, 1584, title page printed in red and black.

Melanchthon studied and published in the sciences, notably astronomy, in addition to his obvious prominence as a reformer of the catholic church. His popular image is often seen adorning the boards of blind-stamped German bookbindings in the 16th century. It is possible that a stamp depicting him was removed from the front board of the present sammelband. Unpopular with the Holy See, it's easy to see why Melanchthon's image, or that of any other embodiment of the Protestant Reformation would be removed from a binding, likely the cause of the excised panel here.

  • Notes: Ex libris Professor, Astronomer, Historian & Bibliophile Owen Gingerich.
  • Condition: 1) A-K4. 2) aa6, A-V4 [V4 blank & present]. 3) A-I4. 4) (:)4, [second] (:)4 [final leaf blank & present], A-Z4, Aa-Vv4, Xx2.

    Please contact us to request a condition report:
    Devon Eastland, Senior Specialist: [email protected]
    Grace Meschery-McCormack, Cataloguer: [email protected]


    Please contact the Specialist for the auction to request a condition report.

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October 23, 2025 10:30 AM EDT
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