Musinsky Rare Books

NUÑEZ DE GUZMAN, Hernán (1474?-1553).

Refranes o Proverbios en Romance. [Part 2:] MAL LARA, Juan de (1524-1571). La Filosofia Vulgar. Madrid: por Juan de la Cuesta, a costa de Miguel Martinez, 1619-1618.

4to (212 x 147 mm). [4], 399 leaves. 2 parts, separately titled but continuously signed and foliated. Printer’s woodcut device on titles. Double column, woodcut head-piece, tail-piece, and initials. Underlining in pink and blue pencil in second part; scattered foxing, occasional marginal staining or soiling, a couple of short marginal tears due to paper flaws (M3, V1). Contemporary parchment, title ink-lettered on spine, evidence of two fore-edge ties; a few deckle edges (later endpapers). Provenance: Kenneth Rapoport, bookplate, inserted purchase notes.***

The “most complete and most useful edition” (Gratet-Duplessis) of Nuñez’s vast proverb collection, first published in 1555, comprising over 8500 short sayings, including some Portuguese, French, Italian and Galician proverbs. The longer second part contains Juan de Mal Lara’s Filosofia vulgar (fol. 121 ff.), a more discursive selection of proverbs, first published in 1568. Mal Lara’s extensive and erudite commentary could be considered too long in places (noted Gratet-Duplessis), but it is redeemed by his wit and above all his citation of a large number of little-known Spanish poems (ibid., p. 294). The edition concludes with Garay’s Cartas en refranes (see Oudin).

Iberian Books B4409; CCPB CCPB000037314-1; Palau 253490 & 197518; Salvá 2112; Heredia 2763; Gratet-Duplessis, Bibliographie parémiologique 486 (Garay p. 292).

Item #4206

Price: $1,500.00