*OPORINUS (Johann). In Habes lector bucolicorum autores XXXVIII quoquot uidelicet à Vergilij ætate ad nostra usq(ue) tempora, eo poëmatis genere usos, sedulo inquirentes nancisci in præsentia licuit : Farrago quidem Eclogarum CLVI mira cùm elegantia tum varietate referta, nuncq(ue), primum in studiosorum iuuenum gratiam atq(ue) usum collecta. Basel: [Johann Oporinus], 1546. - In-8, 163 x 100 : (8 ff.), 799 pp. Dark brown calf, boards decorated in cold with fillets surrounding a large plate comprising three parts, two of which contain 8 fantastic animals in a series of vine scrolls, surrounded by a legend in gothic letters, and one in the center composed of 4 squares decorated with 4 birds which seem to be two eagles and two owls, spine with nerves (period binding). First and only edition of this collection of bucoliques by 38 ancient and contemporary Latin poets. It was published by the Basel bookseller Johann Oporinus (1507-1568) and dedicated to Laurent de Blankenheym, gentleman of Marburg. After extracts of Calpurnius Siculus, Saint Nemesian, Ausone, Antonio Codro Urceo and Giovanni Pontano, we find the 12 eglogues of Petrarch, followed by pieces of Battista Spagnoli, Antonio Maria Visdomini, Antonio Geraldini, Jean Arnoullet, Publio Fausto Andrelini, Giovanni Battista Fiera, Euricius Cordus, Giano Anisio, Andrea Navagero, Jacopo Sannazaro, Erasmus, Marco Girolamo Vida, Giambattista Cinzio Giraldi, John Second, Helius Eobanus Hessus, Boccaccio, Pomponio Gaurico, Joannes Raenerius, Andrea Ammònio, Gilbert Cousin, Philibertus Girinetus, Luigi Annibale Della Croce, Gilbert Ducher, Joachim Camerarius, Johannes Sapidus, Johann Sturm, Johann Stigel, Georgius Sabinus, Johannes Baptista Goynaeus, Matthaeus Argyllandrus and Sébastien Castellion whose piece Sirillus appears here for the first time. A COPY IN A FLEMISH BINDING OF THE PERIOD, BLIND-STAMPED. It features bird and animal motifs, including two series of eight fantastic animals in vine scrolls, each surrounded by a different legend in gothic letters: "domine / exaudi oratione(m) mea(m) / et clamor / meus ad te veniat" and "de profundis / clamavi ad te domine / domine / exaudi vocem meam". This binding is similar to several Flemish bindings described and reproduced by Goldsmith (Gothic and renaissance book-bindings, n° 107, 115, 117, 118, 190 and 211) but if we have found the style we have not encountered any other binding with the same plates. Weale notes the same legends but used individually around different plates (cf. Weale, Bindings and rubbings of bindings in the National Art Library, 1898, n° 372 and 407). Another interesting feature of this copy is that it has two pieces of a fifteenth-century manuscript rubricated in red and blue as linings. It also has old signatures and manuscript bookplates on the endpapers and title, as well as some notes in the margins. FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE GREAT ENGLISH BIBLIOPHILE MAJOR JOHN ROLAND ABBEY (1894-1969). A very well preserved copy, despite some minor damage to the spine, some wear and tear and minor cracks to the hinges. Missing the ties. Provenance: John Roland Abbey, with bookplate (cat. III, 1967, n° 1732).