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an old book with a black and white image of a man on a horsean old book with writing on it and a picture of a bird on itan old book with a drawing of people in a village
ALDE

27 - GEORGIJEVIĆ (Bartolomej). *Libellus vere christiana lectione…
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Estimate €2,000 - €3,000
Sale commission
Description
GEORGIJEVIĆ (Bartolomej). *Libellus vere christiana lectione dignus diversas res Turcharum*. Rome, Antonio Blado, 1552. In-8, fawn morocco, decorated with interlaced curved and straight gilt bands, central panel of stylised foliage, some of which is hollowed out, repeated shell-shaped stamp, spine adorned with gilt bands, gilt edges (contemporary Italian binding). First collected edition bringing together *De Turcarum ritu et ceremoniis*, *De afflictione tam captivorum christianorum quam etiam sub Turcæ tributo*, *Prognoma sive præsagium mehemetanorum* and *Deploratio cladis christianorum*, which had originally been published separately between 1544 and 1548, either in Amsterdam or in Kraków. This Latin edition was published by the author during his stay in Rome, where he lived from the second half of the 1540s until his death, around 1566. The work is illustrated with a frontispiece title page (repeated once), three figures, a tailpiece and illuminated initials, all wood-engraved. This edition is extremely rare. It is not held by the BnF and is preserved in only two French libraries (Méjanes and BSG). The USTC lists 34 copies, 26 of which are held in Italy. It was not included in the prestigious Atabey collection. Abducted by the Turks as a child during the invasion of his country in 1528, the Hungarian Bartolomej Georgijević was taken to Asia Minor, where he was sold several times as a slave. After thirteen years of harsh captivity, he managed to escape and made his way to the Holy Land. His accounts, in which he describes both the customs of the Ottomans and the abuses they inflicted upon Christians, were received in the West with great interest and were very quickly translated into several languages. A fine Roman binding by Nicolas Fery, known as Niccolò Francese. Regarded by Hobson as the most important and innovative Roman bookbinder of the mid-16th century, Niccolò Francese worked for prestigious collectors such as Giovanni Battista Grimaldi and, from 1542, for Pope Paul III. Appointed chief papal bookbinder in 1556 by Paul IV, he held this post until his death, around 1570–1571. Folios A1, A2 and N4 contain old handwritten corrections and notes in ink; the final leaves feature numerous marginal notes in pencil, some of which have been more or less erased. Spine repaired, endpapers replaced, hinges worn. Blackmer, no. 669 – Göllner, II, 924 – USTC, 832260 – Hobson, *Appolo & Pegasus*, pp. 76–80 (binding not cited).
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About the sale Fine antique books – A library in the Languedoc
Auction location
Auction time 10/20/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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