Worm, Ole

Danicorum Monumentorum Libri Sex. Copenhagen: Joachim Moltke, 1643

Together four works bound in one volume, folio (289 x 189 mm). Minor dampstaining to approximately 50 pages, and several early marginal ink annotations, large folding plate irregularly creased and with associated tears, some browning a𝕴nd occasional foxing. Contemporary vellum, spine titled in ink, upside down; vellum worn and cracked.

Danicorum Monumentorum Libri Sex. 2 parts, [24 (incl. engraved title-page)], 526, [16]; 40pp., illustration: engraved title-p🀅age, one folding engraved plate, woodcut illustrations, woodcut initials and head-pieces.

[Bound with:] Worm. Regum Daniae Series Duplex et Limitum Inter Daniam & Sveciam Descriptio. Copenhagen: Melchior Martzan for Joachim Moltke, 1642. [12], 35, [1]pp., a few headings printed in red, illustration: woodcut coat-of-arms on title-page, woodcut initials and head-pieces. First edition.

[Bound with:] Saxo Grammatius. Historiae Danicae Libri Xvi. Edited by Stephanus Johannis Stephanius (1599-1650). Soro: Joachim Moltke, 1644. [8 (including engraved title-page], 384, [24 (last leaf blank)] pp., illustration: engraved title-page. First edition. Written between 1185-1216, Saxo's Historia Danica chronicles the legendary and historical Kings of Denmark down to 1186 in 16 books, making no distinction between history and myth. Credited as the first national historian of Denmark, Saxo, despite his critical shortcomings, created a work of “great scope and imaginative power as an interpretation of ancient legendary lore.” BL/STC Scandinavian S90 & (for the following) S688.

[Bound with:] Saxo Grammaticus. Notae Uberiores in Historiam Danicam. Edited by Stephanus Johannis Stephanius. Soro: Henrik Kruse, 1645. 60, 252, [24 (last leaf blank)] pp., illustration: woodcut coat-of-arms on title-page, woodcut illustrations. First edition.

First edition. The earliest written account of the rune stones of Denmark and Norway, and one of only꧃ a few surviving sources for many runic inscriptions otherwise now lost. Ole Worm, professor of medicine at Copenhagen, studied and published on a wide range of subjects (Bruun II, 586).

PROVENANCE:

John Henniker (inscrip🌠tion, Lincoln's Inn 1766, at head of title, and on verso of engraved title of the third work) — Georgᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚe Wallen (signature at foot of first title)