Hi sunt in hoc Codice libelli X. diui Gregorii Nazanzeni. [Strasbourg]: Loanne Knobloch, 1508. Latin.
An early edition of the writings of Christian theologian Gregory of Nazianzus (ca. 329-389). Woodcut printer's device on the last page.
[100] leaves, approx. 19 cm. Good condition. Stains. Worming to approx. 20 leaves (small, slightly affecting the text). Handwritten notations on several pages. Several tears along edges. Bookplate. Slightly worn binding.
From the estate of Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn.

Two books bound together: Vergilius' writings and a commentary on Aristotle. Venice and Basel, 16th century. Latin.
1. P. Virgilii Maronis, poetae Mantuani, universum poema. Venice: Ioannem Mariam Bonellum, 1562. Latin.
An annotated edition of the writings of the Roman poet Publius Vergilius Maro (19-70 B.C.E). With illustrated initials and in-text illustrations (woodcuts).
2. Petri victorii commentarij longe doctissimi in tres libros Aristotelis de Arte dicendi [ex officina Ioannis Oporini, 1549 – according to the colophon], Basel. Latin and a little Greek.
A commentary on Aristotle's rhetoric, by the Italian philologist and humanist Piero Vettori (1499-1585).
[4], 413 leaves (slight mispagination); [11] pp, 871 [i.e. 870] columns, [8] pp, approx. 30 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains and blemishes (most of them minor). Notations on several pages. Bookplate. Wormholes in the upper margins of approx. a hundred leaves at the end of the book (with negligible damage to text). Old, damaged parchment binding.
From the estate of Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn.

Two books bound together: philosophical compositions by Lucius Annaeus Seneca (Seneca the Younger) and compositions on rhetoric by Annaeus Seneca (Seneca the Elder). Paris: Michaelem Sonnium, 1602. Latin.
1. L. Annaei Senecae philosophi scripta [Philosophical Writings] by L. Annaeus Seneca.
2. M. Annaei Senecae rhetoris controversia R. Lib. X. Suasoriarum liber I [Controversiae, Book X; Suasoriae, Book I, by M. Annaeus Seneca].
XXVIII, 668, [58] pp; 216, [22] 42 pp (slight mispagination). Approx. 35 cm. good condition. Stains and minor blemishes. Notations on the title page. Bookplate. The binding is in fair condition, with worming, tears and abbrasions, partly detached.
From the estate of Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn.

Das Schach-oder König-Spiel [Chess or the King's Game], by Gustavis Selenus [pseudonym of August der Jüngere]. Leipzig, 1616. German. First edition. Incomplete copy.
The first textbook on chess in the German language, by the duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, August der Jüngere (1579-1666). The book features fine engravings, including illustrations of a chessboard and the chess pieces, tables demonstrating various positions, and more. The book also contains three engraved plates and five engraved title pages (at the beginning of the five sections of the book). One of the engraved plates (a double plate) depicts four figures playing chess, signed in the plate by the artist Jacob van der Heyden (1573-1645).
The unique shape of the chess pieces introduced in this book became common in Germany and northern Europe and pieces of this pattern became known as the "Selenus Chess Set.
Incomplete copy. Missing the first 14 leaves are missing (including title page and introduction) and the last four leaves. Bound at the beginning and end of the volume are leaves onto which the text of the title page and the missing pages (491-495) was copied by hand.
[1] leaf, 490 pp + [3] engraved plates (the plate that is bound at the beginning of the book was originally bound between pages 216-217), 27.5 cm. Good overall condition. Large open tears to the last leaves (with handwritten completions). Stains, including dampstains. Notations and markings. Tears to the engraved plate at the beginning of the book and several additional tears (small). Worming to the handwritten leaves that were bound at the end. Original parchment binding, with stains and minor blemishes. Bookplate on the inside front binding.
Not in NLI.
From the estate of Prof. Shlomo Simonsohn.