HAND-BÜCHLEIN DER KLEINEN UND DEMÜTHIGEN. [HANDBOOK FOR THE SMALL AND HUMBLE]

Cöllen: Wilhelm Metternich, 1718. 103 x 60 mm. (4 1/16 x 2 3/8"). 6 p.l., 232 pp.
Pleasing contemporary sprinkled calf, raised bands, spine densely gilt in compartments with central fleuron and leafy cornerpieces, marbled endpapers. In a repaired cardboard slipcase. Front pastedown with book label of Abel E. Berland. Shallow chip across head of spine, extremities a bit rubbed, small abrasion and half a dozen minor scratches to lower board, text a bit browned, with occasional mild foxing (because of inferior paper quality), a handful of leaves trimmed a bit close at head (without loss of text), but still a very satisfactory copy, clean and fresh internally, and in its sound, pleasant original binding.

This is a rare edition of a pocket-sized High German translation of a portion of Blosius' "Instructions for the Ascetic Life," written for monks and nuns. Blosius, also known as Louis de Blois (1506-66), entered the Abbey of Liessies in Flanders when he was 14, and became its abbot at 24. He reformed the lax monastic practices of his predecessors, and wrote a number of popular works on spirituality that were widely translated. The present volume comes from the very distinguished collection of Chicago bibliophile Abel Berland (1915-2010). The sale of books from his library at Christie's in New York on 8 and 9 October 2001 was one of the most important bibliophilic events of the new century, bringing in more than $14,000,000..