Encyclopaediae, seu Orbis disciplinarum, tam sacrarum quàm prophanarum, Epistemon: Pauli Scalichij de Lika . . . Eiusdem, Theses mysticae philosophiae. Eulogus, seu de anima separata, eiusque passione. De iusticia aeterna . . . Encomium scientiarum

Basel: J. Oporinus, 1559. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. 1st Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. 4to (234 x 161 mm). 755 [1], [60] pp. Two folding woodcut tables, historiated woocut initials, general index bound at end. Signatures: a-z4, A-3Z4, 4A-4K4. Text in Latin, Greek and Hebraic; final leaf blank. Bound in contemporary blind-ruled and blind-stamped pigskin, spine lettered in red manuscript and with old paper shelfmark sticker (leather chipped at place of lettering, spotted and soiled, boards bend outwards, leather somewhat rubbed, corners bumped), brown-dyed edges. Text with even light browning, narrow band of light brown-staining at top margin throughout, old paper repair of upper corner of gathering o, a few annotations and text markings in ink, occasional spotting and foxing. Provenance: Wendelin Obendorff (Brigiensis), Frankfurt, April 17, 1566 (inscription on front pastedown); Miltenberg Franciscan Convent (old ink stamp on title and final text page). A very good copy in neat contemporary binding. ----

VD16 S 6616; Collison, Encyclopaedias 79 f. - FIRST EDITION, and exceptionally rare, of the main scientific work of the Croatian humanist, polymath and adventurer Pavao Skalic (1534 - 1575), and at the same time the first work to include the term encyclopaedia in its current meaning. "Paul Scalich - also known as Paul Skalich, Paul Scaliger, Paulus Scalichius de Lika, and as Count Scalitzius - had a life that in its adventures and intrigue closely resembled that of Cellini and Casanova. His 'Encycloaedia' (Basle 1559) was a poor piece of compilation and is chiefly important nowadays for its successful introduction of the word 'Encyclopaedia'. Within the next hundred years the word encylopaedia came to be very generally accepted throughout Western Europe" (Collison). - Visit our website to see more images!