AN ORIGINAL LEAF FROM THE FIRST EDITION OF ALEXANDER BARCLAY'S ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF SEBASTIAN BRANT'S "SHIP OF FOOLS",
printed by Richard Pynson in 1509. With an essay by James D. Hart. Pp. [iv]+16(last blank), printed in red & black, 15 coloured marginal illustrations, one decorative red initial, plus the original leaf tipped-in after the title page within a red rule border; med. 4to; qr. cloth, paper title label printed in red on spine, dark grey papered boards decorated in black; uncut; a little light offsetting;printed for David Magee by The Grabhorn Press, San Francisco, 1938. Edition limited to 260 copies; this one of 145 copies in which the leaf shows Pynson's black letter and roman types. Hamel 75; Heller & Magee 300. *Leaf Book. The marginal illustrations are from the woodcuts in the Pynson 1509 edition of the Ship of Fools. Originally published at Basel in 1494, Sebastian Brant's famous poem was quickly translated into Latin, Dutch, and French. In 1509 the first two English editions were published: a prose version by Henry Watson, printed by Wynkyn de Worde; and Alexander Barclay's poetic translation, printed by Richard Pynson in the roman type which he had just introduced into England. The original leaf, folio CLXXXI, is slightly soiled and foxed, with a small fore-edge damp stain. The recto is in roman type, the verso black letter. Item #085439
Price: $950.00