New Acquisitions in the Archives & Special Collections Center

The Msgr. William Noé Field Archives & Special Collections Center recently acquired two new rare books:

Ordo Romanvs De Officio Missae, authored by Georg Cassander (1513-1566), was issued with another of Cassander’s works, Litvrgica de ritv et ordine dominicae coenae celebrandae, and sold as a single volume. Working towards the reunification of Catholics and Protestants, Cassander sought common ground in the teachings of the early Church. In his writings, he draws upon the importance of the immutable texts of the Mass, and references ancient, medieval, and modern writers to state his case.

 Georg Cassander. Ordo Romanus de officio Missae. Issued with Litvrgica de ritv et ordine dominicae coenae celebrandae. Cologne: Heirs of A. Birckmann, 1561.
Georg Cassander. Ordo Romanvs de officio Missae. Issued with Litvrgica de ritv et ordine dominicae coenae celebrandae. Cologne: Heirs of A. Birckmann, 1561.

Pacôme’s description of the Cistercian monastery at La Trappe, Description du plan en relief de l’abbaye de la Trappe, features etched illustrations showing exteriors and interiors of the abbey, scenes of daily life, agriculture, communal meals, and the journey of the exiled James II of England. The description was meant to accompany a sixteen-by-fourteen foot scale model of the monastery, commissioned by the Abbot to be presented to Louis XVIII.

Pacôme, Delorme, frère. fl. 1708. Description Du Plan En Relief De L'Abbaye De La Trappe. Paris: J. Collombat 1708.
Pacôme, Delorme, frère. fl. 1708. Description Du Plan En Relief De L’Abbaye De La Trappe. Paris: J. Collombat 1708.

 

Cassander, Georg (1513-1566). Ordo Romanvs De Officio Missae. [Issued with: Litvrgica de ritv et ordine dominicae coenae celebrandae]. Cologne: Heirs of A. Birckmann 1561.

Pacôme, Delorme, frère. fl. 1708. Description Du Plan En Relief De L’Abbaye De La Trappe. Paris: J. Collombat 1708.

Highlights from the Rare Book Collection: Aldine Press

These two volumes of the works of Cicero, which are part of the Tullio Ascarelli collection, are examples of books from the Aldine press. The Aldine press was founded in Venice by Aldus Manutius (Aldo Manuzio, c. 1449-1515). Manutius was educated as a humanist and sought to preserve classical Greek literature by printing many significant Greek works. He also printed notable Latin and Italian authors. Manutius is also known for his contributions to typography. His firm was the first to use italic type, and introduced books in the octavo format, which can be considered as the equivalent of the modern paperback. His goal was to print small, inexpensive books for scholars. Books published by the Aldine press can be identified by the unique printer’s device, which depicts a dolphin and an anchor. After his death, Manutius’ firm was carried on by his son Paulus, followed by his grandson, Aldus.

M.T. Ciceronis epistolarum ad Atticum, ad Brutum was printed in 1513, presumably under the direction of Aldus Manutius. Rhetoricorum ad C. Herennium was printed under the direction of Manutius’ son Paulus (Paolo) in 1559.

M.T. Ciceronis epistolarum ad Atticum, ad Brutum // ad Quintum fratrem, libri XX.
M.T. Ciceronis epistolarum ad Atticum, ad Brutum // ad Quintum fratrem, libri XX.
Rhetoricorum ad C. Herennium libri IIII. incerto auctore
Rhetoricorum ad C. Herennium libri IIII. incerto auctore.

References:

“Aldus Manutius.” In The Columbia Encyclopedia, by Paul Lagasse, and Columbia University. 7th ed. Columbia University Press, 2017. 

“Aldus (?1450 – 1515).” In Thames & Hudson Dictionary of the Italian Renaissance, The, edited by J. R. Hale. Thames & Hudson, 2006.

“Aldine Collection.” Stanford Libraries.

Cicero, Marcus Tullius, and Aldo Manuzio, Andreas Torresanus, de Asula, Titus Pomponius Atticus, M Junius Brutus. M.T. Ciceronis epistolarum ad Atticum, ad Brutum // ad Quintum fratrem, libri XX. Venetiis : In aedibus Aldi, et Andreae soceri., mense Iunio 1513.

Cicero, Marcus Tullius, and Paolo Manuzio. Rhetoricorum ad C. Herennium libri IIII. incerto auctore. Venetiis: Apud Paulum Manutium, 1559 [Colophon: Venetiis, apvd Pavlvm Manvtivm, Aldi filivm, M.D. LIX.].