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study various spiritual schools of thought, with the aim of finding universal truth. In 1887 she established her own esoteric Blavatsky Lodge in London, together with a theosophical magazine, Lucifer the Light-Bringer . It was there that Blavatsky wrote her magnum opus, The Secret Doctrine , which “covers cosmic evolution, the origins of the universe, the history of humankind (derived from higher beings of lunar origins), and reincarnation” ( ODNB ). Noted theosophists in- clude women’s rights activists Annie Besant (who was confirmed as Blavatsky’s de facto successor in 1895), Clara Codd, and Henriette Muller, as well as W. B. Yeats. £9,250 [131540] The first collection of biographies devoted exclusively to women 26 BOCCACCIO, Giovanni. De claris mulieribus. [Strassburg: Georg Husner, about 1474–75, not after 1479] Folio (290 × 203 mm). Mid-19th-century blue half-morocco, by White of Pall Mall dated 1850, spine in six compartments with raised bands, lettered in the second, third and fourth compartments. 83 leaves, unpaginated. Hus- ner type with red initials and occasional red rules, 2- to 6-line spaces for capitals, with guide letters in nearly all cases. One leaf with ink marginalia depicting a hand pointing to the manuscript words “Amoris preludia”. Ex- tremities scuffed, some spotting and browning, minor marginal dampstain- ing, one leaf torn with minor loss to margin. With the bookplate of Robert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe (1858–1945), possibly by inheritance from his father Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron Houghton; from the family library removed from West Horsley Place, Surrey. Second edition of the first collection of biographies devoted exclu- sively to women , following the first printed edition at Ulm by Jo- hann Zainer in 1473. First composed between 1355 and 1359, it “rep- resents Europe’s first postclassical history of women” (Gaylard,
p. 287). Boccaccio includes women from mythology, legend, and history, intentionally rescuing some nearly lost to obscurity, and choosing famous, not necessarily virtuous, women as his examp- lar. In the preface Boccaccio talks directly to his imagined female audience: “by emulating the deeds of ancient women, you spur your spirit to loftier things . . . call on the powers of your intellect, in which you excel, and do not allow yourself to be surpassed” (Bell, p. 174). He excuses his preference for pagan as opposed to religious women by noting that saints’ lives are heavily recorded elsewhere, wishing to draw attention to less well-served women. A popular work, known in over 100 manuscripts, it was widely translated by the end of the 15th century, and was a source for Chaucer, Christine de Pizan, Edmund Spenser, and others. Boccaccio was inspired to write it as a companion to Lives of Famous Men by his elder contem- porary and mentor, Petrarch. The first printings of the book in Germany are an important wit- ness to Renaissance humanism north of the Alps. This edition is like- ly to date from around 1474–75, and no later than 1479 (see Polain). BMC I 83; Goff B717; GW 4484; Polain (B) 710. See Bell, Susan Groad, “Christine de Pizan: Humanism and the Problem of a Studies Woman”, Feminist Studies 3:3-4, 1976. £15,000 [126672]
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
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