58. "Catavasier" ("Book of Hymns"), translated by Antim Ivireanu and printed by Gheorghe Radovici, during the reign of Ștefan Cantacuzino, editio princeps, Târgoviște, 1714, rare collectible piece.

Starting price

EUR 1.200

Sold

EUR 4.500

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Session

Tue, 21 November 2023 19:00

This copy is complete, having 2+138 numbered sheets, printed in black and red, and the text is ornated with framings, frontispieces, initials, and vignettes. At the end, on the last page, the printer printed the year in which he completed work: the year 7223 (i.e., 1714). Currently, the copy is bound in brown leather, with adornments, and it contains several excerpts of old notes, due to its past owners. This Ivirean printed work is a bibliophile rarity, and this book is one of the few complete copies that has reached us in our days. This piece of writing, containing the old and usual Orthodox ritual songs, is the first edition printed in Romanian. The book was published during the reign of Ștefan Cantacuzino (son of scholar High Steward Constantin Cantacuzino), by care of scholar Metropolitan Antim Ivireanul. The hymns were selected and provided by scholar Hieromonk Filotei from the Târgoviște Metropolitan, and the printing was performed by the reputed Wallachian printer Gheorghe Radovici. The copy is part of the princeps edition. The back of the title page contains the book preface, and, on the next sheet, the valuable preface to the Orthodox people of Wallachia, which was written by Hieromonk Fioltei, in verse, starting as follows: "Oh, Orthodox people, Romanian language, guarded by God, a Christian country. May you rejoice in the Lord, by holy singing, with faith, with hope, with great love... The final part of this true ode brings praises to the young voivode and the wish to conquer the enemies ". As far as the content of the book is concerned, we note the fact that, at the start of the hymns, the Short Verses of Monk Filotei can also be found (from the 14th century), widely considered to be the first medieval manifestation of Romanian fiction, as well as a Church Calendar for the years 1715-1743. A work containing ritualic Orthodox songs, edited by metropolitan Antim Ivireanul, the oldest Romanian "Catavasier" (Book of Hymns), a rare copy, of special patrimonial value.

References

BRV. IV, p. 50

Dimensions

width 10 cm, height 15 cm

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