HORAE, USE OF ROME (Book of hours, libro d'ore, livre d'heures)

Hore deipare virginis marie secu(n)du(m) usum Romanu(m) (Book of Hours, Libro d'ore, Livre d'heures)

      Thielman Kerver 1526 - HORAE, USE OF ROME. Hore deipare virginis marie secu(n)du(m) usum Romanu(m)(¿). Paris, Thielman Kerver ad signum Unicornis, 1526. 8vo (165x105 mm), XIX century French dark brown full morocco binding by Lortic, with his stamp at front flyleaf, boards with double ruled gilt panel, crowned monograms at angles, gilt frame decorated with small patterned tools representing the French Royal fleur-de-lis, central gilt coat of arms of Charles-Louis de Bourbon¿Parme, five raised bands spine with titles and crowned monograms at compartments, gilt floral decorations at squares, gilt edges, ff. (132). Text in Latin, Romanic Type. Signature A-Q8, R4. The almanac is for 1523 ¿ 1542. EXCEEDINGLY SCARCE AND UNUSUALLY RICHLY ILLUSTRATED FRENCH BOOK OF HOURS PRINTED IN BLACK AND RED IN THE ATELIER OF THIELMAN KERVER. FULL PAGE WOODCUT AT TITLE PAGE WITH THE KERVER DEVICE WITH TWO UNICORNS. FORTY-SIX FULL PAGE XHILOGRAPHIES AND THIRTY-THREE SMALLER WOODCUTS ALONG THE TEXT. EACH TEXT PAGE INSERTED IN A RICH XYLOGRAPHIC BORDER WITH CRIBLÉ BACKGROUND AND DECORATIONS REPRESENTING THE DANCE OF THE DEAD, GROTESQUE CHARACTERS, SCENES FROM THE BIBLE, SIGNS OF THE ZODIAC, PROFESSIONS OF THE MONTHS, KERVER¿S PRINTER DEVICE. TEXT: Calendar; Gospel Lessons (John, Luke, Matthew, Marc); Christ¿s Passion; Hours of the Virgin; Penitential Psalms and Litanies; Hours of the Dead (including The Nine Lessons from the Book of Job), long Hours of the Cross (or Hour of the Passion), Hours of The Holy Spirit, Suffrages. FULL PAGE WOODCUTS: Printer device, Planetary man, John the Evangelist, The Betrayal, Tree of Jesse, the Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity, Annunciation to Shepherds, Adoration of the Magi, Presentation in the Temple, Flight into Egypt, Coronation of the Virgin, David and Bathsheba, Uriah¿s death, David and Nathan the Prophet, David in Prayer, David in the Temple, David and Bathsheba, David and Solomon, Three living and Three Dead (two woodcuts), nine woodcuts illustrating the nine lessons from the Book of Job, The Betrayal, Christ before Pilate, Flagellation, Crucifixion, Deposition, Entombment, The Tomb, The Resurrection, Christ and the Virgin, Christ and Magdalene, Christ and the Apostles, Christ and Saint Thomas, The Pentecost, Virgin Mary, Holy Trinity, Saint Gregory. CHARLES-LOUIS DE BOURBON¿PARME (MADRID, 1799 ¿ NICE, 1883): Son of Louis I of Bourbon, Duke of Parma and Maria Luisa, from the Spanish branch of the family. He was appointed king of Etruria, with the name of Louis II; in 1824 he succeeded to his the mother to the guide of the dukedom of Lucca with the name of Charles-Louis. During his reign he launched many reforms of public utilities and spent energy and money to maintain and improve the historical and artistic possessions of the city, creating a special commission for their conservation and restoration. He supported the construction of a new railway and allowed the publication of some magazines. In those years they started the Opera degli Asili di Infanzia (nursery) and the Cassa di Risparmio (bank) In the month of September of 1847 Charles-Louis abdicated and handed over the dukedom to Leopold II Grand Duke of Tuscany. It was then appointed Duke of Parma and Piacenza with the name of Charles II. On 19 April 1848 Charles abdicated in favor of his son. He lived the rest of his life in France, where he used the title of Count of Villafranca. He died at Nice. Very good copy of a scarce printed book of hours in a nice binding by Lortic and with a prestigious noble provenance. PROVENANCE: I. Gilt coat of arms of Charles-Louis de Bourbon¿Parme at boards. II. Ex-libris Biblioteque Liturgique de S.A.R. Charles Louis de Bourbon compte de Villafranca at front inside cover. Alès, Description des Livres de Liturgie imprimés aux XV et XVI siècles faisant partie de la bibliothèque de S.A.R. Mgr Charles-Louis de Bourbon, 359 : «Edition que l¿on rencontre fort rarement» ; Bohatta, 1105; not in Lacombe, not in Brunet. [Attributes: Hard Cover]