Index Rerum et Verborum

In-8 de 128 ff.

168 x 110 mm.

Justinien I, Emperor (483-565). Index Rerum et Verborum quae in Pandectis Tractantur copiosissimus.
Antverpiae, Ex officina Christophori Plantini, 1567.

BINDING : contemporary black-and-white pigskin binding by Gregor Bernutz of Wittenberg (d. 1574, active from 1560), blind roll of Christ the Saviour, Peter, Paul and John at borders lettered DATA ES[T]/ MIHI OM[NIS]*TU ES/ PETRU[S]*APPARU/ IT BENIG[N]*ECCE AN/ GNUS DEI, blind-stamped portrait of Luther at centre of the front cover with legend : IN SILENCIO ET SPE/RIT [Sic] fORTITUDO VES/ TRA MARTINUS LUTER (« Let your strength be in silence and hope »), lower cover with portrait of Melanchthon with legend : SI DEUS PRO NOBIS/ QUIS CONTRA NOS/ PHILIPPUS MELANTO. (« If God is for us who is against us ? »), both signed 'G.B.' in blind, the background of the stamps and rolls painted black, manuscript title labels on spine, dark green edges.
Haebler, Rollen und Plattenstempel I, pp. 39 & 302, nos. Va & b.

Provenance : Joachim… Lange (erased ownership inscription on title) — Johann Albert Fabricius (ownership signature on title).

A most unusual german renaissance binding by Gregor bernutz, Wittenberg binder at a period when the town was renowned for this craft.
The use of black paint or ink to show the blind-tooling in relief is remarkably effective ; in this case the panel below the two portaits has been left blank, though such panels are typically found stamped with the purchaser's name. Johann Albert Fabricius (1668-1736), the German classical scholar and bibliographer, was a subsequent owner of the book and of other volumes uniformly bound by Gregor Bernutz.
Maggs catalogue 380 (1918), no. 2264 (plate XXXIV) offered a set of 9 such bindings for sale, of 12 deemed to exist. Adams J-583.