A 1580 Dioscorides Herbal Used by a Seventeenth-Century Parisian Apothecary
A 1580 Dioscorides Herbal Used by a Seventeenth-Century Parisian Apothecary
Couldn't load pickup availability
Dioscorides, Pedanius (c. 40–90); Mathée, Martin.
Les Six Livres de Ped. Dioscoride Anazarbeen, de la Matiere Medicinale.
Lyon: Loys Cloquemin, 1580.
Quarto.
A witness to the practical use of early modern scientific literature. This complete herbal in contemporary calf is illustrated throughout with numerous woodcuts of plants and animals, including a porcupine and seahorse.
The work presents the text of Dioscorides, an ancient Greek herbalist and pharmacologist, “the father of pharmacognosy”. Far from being preserved merely as a classical authority, this copy shows that Dioscorides remained central to European materia medica throughout the medieval and early modern periods.
This copy bears the 1650 ownership inscription of Philippe Bridou, who describes himself as “aspiring to the noble dignity and science of pharmacy.” Written seventy years after publication, the inscription identifies this volume as a working book in the professional training of a Parisian apothecary, whose apprenticeship under the maître apothicaire François Sanson is documented in contemporary archival records.
This copy bears light signs of use which are consistent with sustained consultation.
Very rare. The USTC records just six copies held institutionally worldwide, five in France and one in the United Kingdom. No other copies are known in Poland.
Provenance
- Philippe Bridou (fl. 1650), an apothecary apprentice to François Sanson (master grocer and apothecary in Paris from 1628), reading:
“J Majorem dej gloriam. Huius libri verus est possessor Philippus Bridou Aspirans ad dignitatem et scientiam nobiles pharmacia Apud Dom. Sanson Lutet. Ann. Dni. 1650. Sic nomen meum pono quia hunc librum amittere nolo si amittere ipsum vellem nomen meum non ponerem si nomen meum quaeris Philippus plenus Amoris si cognomen vis scire Bridou dicitur esse... emi 4tt via Jacobea.”
2. Ex Libris Philippi Bridou pharmacopii.
3. Inscription of Dianand Gabriel dated 1818.
4. Fabien Gruhier (c. 20th century) library bookplate.
Condition
Collates as complete including the *8 blank. Contemporary full calf, rebacked and retaining a larger fragment of the original spine. Brown tooled label in a compartment to the spine between raised bands. Binding secure with age-related wear.
Ownership inscriptions, reference marks, and a bookplate to front pastedown and blank, as well as another ownership inscription to the title page. A couple of corrections to text which appear to be in the hand of Philippe Bridou. Sporadic small ink stains, preserving the sense of the text. Page block with some light damp staining at edges throughout, mostly minor, most prominent between F1 and M7, though text is still easily legible and otherwise clean. Very minor loss to the top outer corner of the front blank. Rear blank laid down over rear pastedown, appearing to have been a part of the rebacking process. Slipcase near fine, very minor wear.
USTC 30304
Share
