1 vol.
Hieronymus, [Saint Jerome.] Epistolae. Basel: Nicolaus Kesler, 1497. 3 parts in 1 vol. Edited by Theodorus Laelius. Folio, contemp blind-stamped pigskin over bds, metal clasps; worn. Woodcut frontispiece by Albrecht Durer depicting St. Jerome dressed as a cardinal removing a thorn from a lion's paw, 3 books bearing versions of Genesis 1:1 – the Hebrew Pentateuch, the Greek Septuagint, and St. Jerome’s own Latin translation beside him (offsetting from facing rubricated letter). 526 (of 532) leaves. 55 lines. 312 x 201 mm - sheet size; text 235 x 158mm. Some dampstaining to page edges, very tiny wormholes to front matter, v5 with bottom corner missing - not affecting text, penned marginal notes and some underlining, cc with small edge tear, 3-inch tear to Hhv & puncture to bbiii.
Goff H-176; Hain-Cop 8565; BMC III 772 (IB 37661); Kurth p. 10.
The woodcut for this work, that first appeared in a 1492 edition was attributed to Durer after the woodcut block was discovered by Daniel Burckhardt at the Museum of Basel, with an inscription on the reverse in Durer's hand "Albrecht Durer von Normergk." Kurth also states that the cut in the 1497 edition lacks the bottle glass window above the bookshelf, which is present in this cut.