Argenis

[John Barclay]. Johannis Barclaii Argenis. Figuris Aenis adillustrata, suffixo Clave, hoc est, Nominum Propriorum Explicatione, atque Indice Locupletissimo. [Nuremberg: John Andrews and Wolfgang Endt], 1673. First (or early) Nuremberg edition. Twelvemo (5.25 x 3 inches; 135 x 75 mm.). [24], 708, [35 explicatio and index], [1, blank] pages; signature collation: )(12 (±)(1) A-Q12 R12 (±R12) S-Hh12. Engraved title-page and 35 additional engraved plates inserted throughout, four of which (including the title-page) seemingly supplied, with brighter and crisper paper stock, and tipped in, sometimes a little crudely (with one additional duplicate for a total of 37 plates); woodcut tailpieces at the end of each book and letterpress ornaments after each chapter. Contemporary sprinkled calf, spine in five compartments with four raised bands, lacking the spine label in the second compartment, other compartments elaborately stamped in gilt; all edges of the text block sprinkled red; marbled endpapers, flyleaves. Large chip to the top of the spine (nearly the entire first compartment); rear joint partially split, front joint hanging on by a single cord; boards with a few minor scuffs; corners worn with the boards exposed, including a chip to the bottom corner of the front board. Text block tanned (still supple) with regular foxing, some occasional wear throughout the text block; corners creased and worn; text barely shaved in the T and U gatherings on the fore-edge; two stamps affixed to the verso of the engraved title-page. Title-leaf a cancel on different (but contemporary) paper stock; R gathering seemingly supplied from another copy of the same edition with consistent wear to the upper corner, not present in adjacent gatherings, and lacking the red sprinkling on the fore-edge (sprinkled red on the top and bottom edges though), gathering also slightly sprung, so it could just be wear misinterpreted. Good overall. Text in Latin. "The work was published first at Paris in 1621, attained great popularity, & was translated into English" (Robert Bowes, A Catalogue of Books Printed at or Relating to the University Town & County of Cambridge... Cambridge: 1894, p. 50, accessed online). There was another Endt edition edition (issue?), possibly the same year, with an undated title-page, but the pagination is the same. NCBEL Volume 1, p. 2301 (latest edition in Latin from 1659 (Leyden)). (#10315).