[TRAVEL LIBRARY-MINIATURE BOOKS] Collection of 19 miniature books preserved in their contemporary travel case.

Unique travel library preserved in its original and exceptionally well preserved early-seventeenth century carrying case containing 19 miniature books mostly printed in Leyden by the successor of Plantin.

Detail of contains :

– BOETHIUS. De Consolatione.- LIPSIUS. De Constantia. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1601-1602. (69 x 44 mm).

– CAIUS IULIUS CAESAR. [Heidelberg], Hieronymus Commelinus, 1595. (108 x 49 mm).

– CLAUDIUS. [Opera] quae extant. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1603. (108 x 53 mm).

– HORATIUS FLACCUS. Opera omnia. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1604. (108 x 51 mm).

– IUSTINIANUS. Institutionum. [N.p.] Jacob Stoer, 1605. (106 x 50 mm)

– LUCRECE. De Rerum Natura. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1597. (106 x 52 mm).

– MARTIAL. Epigrammaton. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1600. (107 x 55 mm).

– Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis. Paris, Société typographique, 1604. (74 x 42 mm).

– OVIDE. Fastorum libriVI.- Heroidum Epistolae.- Metamorphoseon Libri XV. [Leyden], ex officina Plantiniana Raphelengi, 1582. (107 x 52 mm).

– PLAUTUS. Comoediae. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1603. (108 x 52 mm)

– PRUDENTIUS. Opera. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1596. (103 x 48 mm).

– PUBLIUS VIRGILIUS. Opera. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1604. (105 x 53 mm).

– QUINTUS CURTIUS. De Rebus Gestis Alexandri Magni. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1606. (107 x 54 mm)

– SALLUSTIUS. Opera Omnia. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1597. (102 x 47 mm)

– SILIUS ITALICUS. De Secundo Bello Punico. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1600. (104 x 54 mm).

– TACITE. Opera quae extant. [Heidelberg], Hieronymus Commelinus, 1595. (105 x 48 mm).

– TERENTIUS. Comoediae Sex.- SENECA. Tragoediae. Leyden, ex officina Plantiniana apud Franciiscum Raphelengium, 1599 & 1601. (104 x 54 mm)

– VALERIUS MAXIMUS. Editionis Phigianae. Leyden, Officina Plantiniana apud Franciscum Raphelengium, 1596. (102 x 45 mm).

– VELLEIUS. Paterculus. [Heidelberg], H. Commelinus, 1596. (108 x 51 mm).

Complete and early travel libraries preserved in their original casing are extremely rare in both institutional libraries and private collections. We have only been able to trace the famous Jacobean travel library at Leeds University described as follows : “This Jacobean travelling library is one of four of a similar kind, the others being in the British Library, the Huntington Library and the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio. When closed, it appears to be a single leather-bound volume measuring approximately 41 x 28cm, but when opened it is revealed to be a wooden box with three shelves containing 43 small books, vellum-bound and mostly printed in Leyden”.

It is striking to see that our library also has books mainly produced in Leyden printing offices. The present copy differs nevertheless in the elaborate decoration executed in the more luxurious binding and decoration material used. Morocco bindings and ornamentation has for centuries been the preferred binding material amongst the bibliophiles.

Case in extremely fine condition, with a functional key. The bindings are very well preserved.