LE LOYER Pierre – IIII. Livres des Spectres ou apparitions et visions d’Esprits, Anges et Demons – 1586

Descrizione

LE LOYER Pierre – IIII. Livres des Spectres ou apparitions et visions d’esprits, anges et demons se monstrans sensiblement aux hommes. Par Pierre Le Loyer Cofeiller au Siege presidial d’Angers Ulpianus Libro vicensimo quinto, ad edictum. Ostentum cum quid prodigi osum videtur, quae Graeci fasmata vocant. A la Royne Mere du Roy – 1586. A Angers, pour George Nepveu, Libraire demeurant à la Chaussée Sainct Pierre. Full early-XIX century full leather, gilt double frame at both boards, gilt fillets and friezes at the spine, as well as the title on a label, raised bands, marbled endpapers, red-coloured fore-edges; quarto, cm 20,5 x 14,5; pp. (2b) (12) 642, 338 (3b); slight damage at the lower spine, hinges with traces of openings, extremely light water stains on some pages, sporadic brownings, but a very good copy overall. Printer’s device in woodcut (sea monster in oval floral frame, with motto in greek) on the title page. This is the scarce real first edition (during the same year, another copy was printed by the same publisher, although with a different printer’s mark and indicating Paris as a selling place; moreover, this edition is lacking the King privilege on the title page, which is actually present in the other 1586 edition). This copy is lacking the whole table of contents – the final index – but it still remains a very good specimen though, especially as the whole text is present. The bibliographies state this edition to be quite rare, especially – it seems – as the author’s house, which contained all his works, got destroyed due to a fire. Le Loyer, well-known as a poet, was one the first demonologist in France and this book is considered the main early demonology work ever printed in France, which aim was to to raise demonology to the rank of science