$38,000
Scot, Reginald. The Discoverie of Witchcraft. London: William Brome, 1584. First Edition. Modern gilt-tooled red morocco with compartmentalized spine and gilt stamped turn-ins. All edges gilded. 14 leaves, p. 1 – 352, [2 leaves], 353 – 560, 8 leaves. Two misnumberings not noted in Toole Stott (97 inverted 67; 279 inverted 972). Woodcut illustrations and initials, tail pieces. 8vo. Title page remargined at head, tiny losses in gutter restored, light soiling in upper right margin, with contemporary light marginalia. Several leaves remargined, a few with tiny gutter losses restored. Two strains of worming in gutter, neither affecting text, between 9–374 and 27–141. Scattered contemporary marginalia and spotting, a few rust-holes. L1 with hole at mid-page affecting a few words. Final leaf torn and repaired. Hinges worn at exterior. Text block bright and crisp overall. Very good. Toole Stott 618. Hall 247. Scot committed a daring act in publishing The Discoverie of Witchcraft, which notwithstanding its content was, as H. Adrian Smith noted, “itself a heresy” as he did so without the approval of a bishop. Expecting the work would be censored should it appear before a bishop, Smith continued, “He took the full responsibility and blame on his own shoulders and had the book printed himself in 1584. No stationer’s name appeared in it, and the printer’s name appeared only at the end of the book, without date or place of address.” Recent scholarship has provided further clarity, with the
Auctioneer:
Potter & Potter
Date:
2015-05-31
