Oldest book in my collection: An Elzevir printing

A while back, I posted a comment about the oldest book in my collection, and was asked to post a note about it. Here it is.

Marcus Tullius Cicero. De Officiis Libri Tres ..... Amsterdam: Elzevir, 1656.

Title page
M. T. Ciceronis / de / OFFICIIS / Libri Tres / Cato major, vel de Sanectute, / Lælius, vel de Amicitis. / Paradoxa Stoicorum sex. / Somnium Scipionis. / Cum optimis postremis exem- / plaribus accurate / curati. / Amstelodami, / Ex Officina Elzeviriana. 1656.
(Text is within elaborate engraved border)
Collation: 12mo (duodecimo, 2 7⁄8 in X 5 5⁄8 in), A-K¹². 234 pp.
Binding: Contemporary full vellum boards, wallet foredges; sewn on five thin vellum strips; top strip used as core for the sewn headband. The binding does not have a front endpaper, only a sheet of paper I pasted in to cover the bare board under the bokplate, which I removed first, of course.
Description: Engraved bookplate bearing the arms of the Melville family. Numerous marginal notes from previous owner, some underlining of text.

This book is sized to be readily portable, suitable to be carried in a gentleman’s coat pocket, thus the small size of the type used. This was a specialty of the various Elzevirs. The Elzevir family of printers encompassed several generations and locations. This particular volume is the product of the press of Louis Elzevir which he founded in 1638. He was joined by his cousin David in 1656, the year this volume was printed.

I obtained this volume many years ago at auction from the now defunct California Book Auction Company for the shocking sum of $35.00. I was, apparently, the only bidder.

TITLE PAGE







OPENING PAGE







TEXT PAGES SHOWING PREVIOUS OWNER'S NOTATIONS, ETC.







BINDING

Beats my 1679 Morals of Seneca. The Seneca is a little larger at 7 1/2 in x 5 in but that's a nice original vellum binding whereas my book has the original leather boards but a fairly new spine and corners. On the other hand, my book is in English so I can read it. I also hardly paid anything for my oldest book. As I rule, I don't like people to have written in my books but in your case I think it adds character.

My oldest is an original Eikon Basilike from 1648/1649. It is obviously in English and has a handwritten page at the front summarizing the contents, which seems contemporary.

To those for whom the Elzevir name looks familiar, though it is not the same firm by continuous lineage, it does bear some relationship to the modern scientific publishing house Elsevier:

Inspired by the historical publishers, they adopt their name and the Non Solus printer’s mark – meaning "not alone" – which highlights the relationship between authors and publishers.

I worked for Elsevier Sequoia for 11 years in the 1970s and 80s; they had an editorial office in Lausanne. I typeset a lot of articles for their scientific journals: Inorganica Chimica Acta, Powder Technology, Molecular Catalysis, Cognition, Social Networks, Ethnopharmacology (my favourite) and more.