Polyglot. Psalms). Psalterium in Quatuor Linguis Hebraea Graeca Chaldaea Latina. Text printed in four columns across double-page. Hebrew, Greek, Amharic (Ethiopian- not Chaldee) and Latin. Edited by Johann Potken, with the assistance of Johann Soter.

Estimate: $4,000–$6,000
Hammer price: $8,000

Historical auction record. Hammer prices exclude buyer’s premium and taxes.

author

(BIBLE

printer

[Johannes Potken]

Place

Cologne

Publication

1518

Description

Title within elaborate woodcut arabesque and floral border. Inscription on title. Dense scholarly notes throughout the work. Short Dutch description on opening free endpaper.

references

Vinograd, Cologne 1; Darlow & Moule 1413; Adams B-1371; D.S. Berkowitz, In Remembrance of Creation (1968) no. 175.

summary

THE FIRST HEBREW BOOK PRINTED IN COLOGNE. THE FIRST BIBLICAL POLYGLOT WITH AN ETHIOPIC TRANSLATION. ONLY THE SECOND BOOK EVER PRINTED WITH ETHIOPIC TYPE. The title of this work is misleading; “Chaldaea” not being Aramaic but Ethiopic. The editor, Johann Potken learned Ethiopic from Abyssinian monks in Rome and edited the first Ethiopic Psalter printed in 1513. The present edition is the first appearance of the Ethiopic version in a polyglot edition.

ff. (144). Trimmed, few stains, title lightly worn. 19th-century gilt-tooled straight-grain morocco by W. Carbentus court binder to The Hague, all edges gilt, head and foot of spine expertly repaired. Sm. folio. Housed in fitted slip-case.

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