The Lord Bishop of Salisbury’s Copy of the Palatine Collection

Beger, Lorenz. THESAURUS EX THESAURO PALATINO SELECTUS, SIVE GEMMARUM ET NUMISMATUM QUÆ IN ELECTORALI CIMELIARCHIO CONTINENTUR ELEGANTIORUM ÆRE EXPRESSA, ET CONVENIENTI COMMENTARIO ILLUSTRATA DISPOSITIO AUTHORE L. BEGERO SERENISSIMI ELECTORIS PALATINI ANTIQUARIO ET BIBLIOTHECARIO. Heidelbergæ: Typis Philippi Delborn, 1685. Folio [40 by 26.5 cm], contemporary brown speckled calf, both boards handsomely paneled in blind; spine neatly and professionally rebacked with six raised bands, dated in gilt at base and with red spine label, gilt; all page edges red. Printed half-title; superbly engraved frontispiece by Johann Ulrich Kraus depicting an extravagantly stylized view of the Palatine coin cabinet; printed title with a finely engraved vignette; superbly engraved portrait plate of the Count Palatine of the Rhine, Karl Ludwig, also engraved by Kraus; 2 dedication leaves; 3 preface leaves; 421, (3) pages; handsomely engraved headpieces, tailpieces, and initials; numerous text engravings of ancient coins, gems, etc.; 3 finely engraved non-numismatic plates. Binding moderately worn, but sound; one leaf with corner tear just missing catchword. Very good or better. The first edition of Beger’s first numismatic work. Rare. An important numismatist, Lorenz Beger was librarian and keeper of antiquities of the Palatine Elector and was later in the service of Frederick William of Brandenburg, for whom he wrote comprehensive three volume catalogue of the ancient coins in that cabinet. The frontispiece plates by Johann Ulrich Kraus (1655–1719) are magnificent. Babelon 105. Banduri (1719) 170–171. Bassoli 33. Brückmann (1729) 10. Dekesel B65. Hirsch (1760) 10. Lipsius 32. Struve (1693) 77. Van Damme 1319–1321. Ex Gilbert Burnet (1643–1715), Lord Bishop of Salisbury, Chancellor of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, with his bookplate; ex John Rushout, 2nd Baron Northwick (1770–1859), with his bookplate; ex John Godfrey, Esq., with his diminutive ink-stamp.