Beschreibung:

CESSOLIS, Jacobus de (fl. late 13th/early 14th century, O.P.). De Ludo Scachorum , in German. Strassburg: Heinrich Knoblochtzer, 1st September 1483. Chancery 2° and royal 4° (276 x 200 mm.). Collation: a-d 8 . 6 e-f 6 (a1 r title Dis büchlin weiset die auszlegung des schachzabel spils ... and cut, a1 v blank, f5 v colophon ... Getruckt und volendet von heinrico knoblochzern in der hochgelobten stat Straszburg uff Sant Egidius tag In dem Lxxxiij Jor. etc. , f6 blank). 39 leaves (of 40; without final blank). Unwatermarked paper. Type 4:120G. 34 lines. 15/16 woodcuts, illustrating table and chessboard (on title, repeated on e6 v ), 13 orders of society (about 85 x 120 mm. each) and an empty armorial shield (below colophon); 11/12 woodcut historiated and ornamental initials of various sizes. 2 illustrations and 5 initials touched with red. (Repair to fo. f5 including pen-facsimile of a dozen affected words, same leaf almost detached, some marginal worming, minor staining). 19th-century German boards. Provenance : contemporary inscription describing Knoblochtzer as wicked ( der trucker der das buch hat getruck der ist ein böser man ); Donaueschingen, Fürstenbergische Hofbibliothek. Fourth German, second Strassburg edition. On the text of this second, somewhat abbreviated, German prose version see G.F. Schmidt, Das Schachzabelbuch in mittelhochdt. Prosa-Übers . (1961); incipit : Ich bruder Jacob von Cassalis prediger ordens, bin uberwunden worden (a2 r ). Knoblochtzer's expressive series of woodcuts originally appeared in his undated edition of ca. 1478 (GW 6528) and was copied from the first edition in German of Günther Zainer at Augsburg (GW 6527). ALL GERMAN INCUNABLE EDITIONS OF CESSOLIS ARE OF THE GREATEST RARITY, the present being known in 10 copies. HC 4897; GW 6530; BMC I, 89 (IB. 1142); Goff C-418; VB 2213; Schr 4276; Schramm XIX, pp. 5-6, 14, figs. 119-133; van der Linde appendix II, pp. 130-131; Schmid p. 37.