Meder, Johann

Parabola filii glutonis ...

      per Michaelem] Furter, 13. kal. septembris profusi atq[ue] p[ro]digi nedu[m] venuste veru[m]etia[m] vtiliter [et] deuote p[er] venerandu [m] patre[m] fratre[m] Joanne[m] Meder ordinis minoru[m] obseruantia[m] Basilee concionata [et] collecta pro totius anni precipue quadragesime sermonib[us] acco[m]modata. Title printed in red and black; with the printer's woodcut device on the title, another on the colophon leaf and a third version at the end; 18 full-page woodcuts; the first 13pp rubricated; printed in double columns in gothic letter. Third Edition. 8vo. [157 x 113 x 39 mm]. [231]ff. Contemporary Nuremberg binding of calf, the covers tooled in blind with a triple fillet border punctuated with a circular flower head tool and a star, the central section divided into quarters by triple fillets running diagonally from the corners, with the star along each length and at the intersection, the upper and lower quarters containing a lozenge-shaped tool with an Imperial eagle, the quarters to the left and right with a lozenge-shaped unicorn tool. The spine divided into three panels with raised bands and blind fillets, the panels tooled in blind with the circular flower head, the star and a leaf, vellum manuscript pastedowns and endleaves, plain edges. (Remains of paper manuscript label at the head of the spine, the clasp renewed). There are a few small wormholes inside the front cover, the front endleaf and first three leaves and again at the end. It is a fine copy in a remarkably well preserved Nuremberg binding. The clasp is new and there may have been one or two other small repairs to the joints and corners, but these are virtually undetectable. This is the third edition of "Quadragesimale di filio prodigo", a collection of fifty sermons on the parable of the Prodigal Son and the Passion of Christ. Each sermon begins with a dialogue between an angel and the prodigal son, and all but one concludes with a parable or allegory that is explained in Christian terms. They were originally preached by Johann Meder at Basel during Lent 1494 and were published by Furter in 1495 and 1497. Meder, a Franciscan who resided at Basel from 1495 to 1502, was a friend of Sebastian Brant, who wrote a prefatory poem to the work. Meder also asked Furter to provide illustrations, and the 18 full-page woodcuts, two of which are repeats, have been attributed by F. Winkler to the Master of the Haintz-Narr, Dürer's main collaborator in the illustration of Brant's "Narrenschiff", which was published in Basel by Johann Bergmann in 1494. With the ownership inscriptions of the monastery of Eichstätt in Bavaria, Georg Stammach and the Abbey of Irrsee. With the booklabel of J. R. Abbey and his acquisition note "J.A.6605 15.9.[19]55". Sold in the third portion of the Abbey sale, Sotheby's, 20/6/1967, as lot 2020 (£160 to Quaritch).