Gian Bracciolini (1380-1459) Italian, The Facetiae or Jocose Tales of Poggio 1879 Edition. 

Size: (both) 6 5/8 X 4 1/2 X 1 in. 

This is one of the first collection of joke books ever published. It was originally written in 1470 by Gian Francesco Poggio Bracciolini (1380 - 1459), simply known as Poggio Bracciolini, an Italian scholar and early Renaissance humanist noted for finding and recovering many classical Latin manuscripts from monastic libraries in Europe. Born in Tuscany, Poggio  served under seven popes as a scriptor (writer of official documents), then as a scriptor abbreviator (a scribe who used abbreviations in writing about ancient and medieval manuscripts) and scriptor penitentiarius (a cleric who supervised the administration of the sacraments of penance, or a priest who could absolve particularly grave sins), and as scriptor apostolicus (a papal secretary responsible for drafting and preparing papal letters and other official communications for the pope). Early editions of the Facetiae are rare and were notable for their scatalogical jokes and tales, some involving flatulation humor and others involving defecation. (Scatalogical jokes referred to excrement and were a bit off-color, but not quite obscene, and flatulation, commonly known as farting, is the medical term for expelling gas from the body.) The two-volume set is three-quarter bound, with five raised bands, gilt lettering and gilt devices on the spine, marbled covers and marbled endpapers, both books have half- titles, the title pages say The Facetiae or Jocose Tales of Poggio, Now first translated into English With the Latin Text in Two Volumes and the books were published in Paris in 1879 by Isodore Liseux. Volume I has thirty-eight pages about the life of Poggio and the works of Poggio after the title page, 195 pages of text, the Contents pages are at the rear and run to page 203, followed by an ad for another book by Liseux titled “Demoniality Incubi and Succubi” by Father Sinistrari of Ameno from the 17th century. Vol 2 has 232 pages of text, an Index of Proper Names that runs from 233 to 240, the Contents pages at the rear run to page 248, and the ad for Demoniality appears at the rear of Volume 2 as well. Both volumes are in English with the original Latin text at the bottom of each page, and the top edges are gilt. Father Sinistrari (1622 - 1701) was a prolific author and was responsible for many of the works which framed Inquisition thinking during the 17th century, particularly regarding incubus, succubus and other demons which were thought to roam the Earth, and regarding sexual practices which were considered sinful. The books measure 6 5/8 x 4 1/2 inches wide and are in very good condition, with tight bindings and clean pages and text, just light rubbing along the edges of the spine and at the tips, and a nick at the crown and wear on two tips of the first volume. Prices range from $250 to $530 for a two-volume set from 1879 on the rare book website we use, and we are setting the opening bid low to get the bidding going.