Title: Opus pro conficiundis epistolis de generibus epistolarum de vocabulis que abhorrent a Latinitate de orationibus quibus in epistolis sit abstinendum de ornamentis sive coloribus rhetoricis epistole discipulorum eiusdem discipulorum praecepta oratio eiusdem de militia Christiana oratio de militia Christiana, 1512. Rubricated Scarce First Edition on Epistolary Theory and Stylistics
Author: Johann Altenstaig
Publisher: Augsburg, impensis Johann Rynmann, Hagenau, pro industrium Heinrich Gran
Condition: Very Good
A scarce early 16th century, first edition of Altenstaig`s Work for Composing Epistles, on the types of epistles, on words that are averse to Latin, on speeches that should be avoided in epistles, on rhetorical ornaments or colors, epistles of the disciples of the same disciples, the precepts of the same, a speech of the same on the Christian militia, a speech of the Christian militia.
Altenstaig was a humanist and theologian who died in Mindelheim, Swabia, around 1525. “He strove to purify and refine the Latin language, which at that time, from the standpoint of classical Latin, had become quite wild”. (NDB I, 215).
To leaf a1r there is a nice historiated initial with a sower, and on leaf k1v there is a lovely branch-work initial. The volume is rubricated throughout.
USTC records 11 existing copies in libraries.
The first four preliminary leaves, including the title, are lacking.
One volume in small quarto, CXLVIII (Actually 138 leaves)
This volume is in very good shape, with minimal rubbing or wear to the binding. There is some soiling to the first and last leaves, and marginal repairs to the last 3-4 leaves. Otherwise very little browning or soiling throughout.