M. Tullii Ciceronis Epistolae ad Atticum, aliosque; ad optimas editiones collatae. -

Amsterdam (Amstelaedami), Apud Joannem Blaeu, 1657. 12mo. (XII),740 p. Calf 14 cm (Ref: STCN ppn 093089015; not in Brunet, Graesse, Moss, Ebert or Schweiger, but cf. Schweiger 2,106) (Details: Back gilt, and with 5 raised bands. Woodcut printer's mark on the title depicting a sphere with the signs of the zodiac; the sphere is flanked by Tempus, who holds a scythe and has a winged hour glass on his head, and Hercules leaning on his club; the motto is: 'Indefessus agendo') (Condition: Binding scuffed. Leather chafed at the head & tail of the spine. Corners bumped. Both joints cracking, but firm. A small stain on the title. Bookplate on the front pastedown) (Note: This title is a reissue of volume VI of the 10 volume 'M. Tullii Ciceronis Opera', published by Bonaventura and Abraham Elzevier at Leiden in 1642. It contains: 'Epistolarum ad Pompon. Atticum libri XVI'; 'T. Pomponii Attici vita'; 'Epistolarum ad Brutum liber'; 'Epistolarum ad Quintum fratrem libri III'; 'Ad Octaviam Epistola una', and is preceded by a 8 page introduction of Paulus Manutius. The Elzevier edition was held in considerable esteem and was much sought after. Johannes Blaeu took advantage of this success and reissued the volume with Cicero's letters to Atticus, his brother Quintus, to Brutus, and the 'ad Octavium epistola', together with 'T. Pomponii Attici vita' by Cornelius Nepos, separately. Even the title is, apart from his own printer's mark, is an imitation of that of the Elzevier brothers. The Elzevier edition was based on the Cicero edition of Janus Gruter, Hamburg 1618. In 1659 Blaeu published a complete 10 volume reissue of the Elzevier edition of 1642) (Provenance: On the front pastedown has been pasted an engraved coat of arms without a name, it shows an oval shield with a helmet on top. The shield is divided in 4 quarters, in the first and fourth quarter a tree, in second and third quarter three geese, swans or ducks. On the front flyleaf the name: 'L.' or 'S. Gounelle') (Collation: *6, A-2H12 (leaves 2H11 & 2H12 blank)) (Photographs on request)