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  • Writer's pictureCláudio Giordano

INAUGURAL INCUNABULUM OFREPPUCCI VINÁRIA LIBRARY


It seems natural to me that the first blog of the Vinária Reppucci Library (BVReppucci, BVR) talks about the first and last items registered in the library's collection database. Although already mentioned elsewhere, it is worth remembering that the use of the term 'item' is justified because the BVR includes not only books, but also a significant amount of documents, magazines, printed matter, manuscripts.

In the present case, we are dealing with two books and, curiously, neither of them has wine as a central theme.

Number 1 — Divi Augustini in Sacras Pauli epistolas — is an incunabula, printed in Paris in 1499, with Latin text and folio format (36.5 x 26 cm), restored period binding in full leather.

It contains a compilation of texts by various authors (Saint Augustine, Venerable Bede, Saint Jerome, Saint John Chrysostom) , which discuss the epistles of Paul the Apostle. There are slight references to drunkenness as a result of passages about this vice in Galatians and 2 Corinthians.


The composition of the text is in Gothic typology with abundant use of abbreviations (making its understanding quite difficult for today's reader, even if they master Latin); rich with ornate and figurative initials of various sizes. Finally, by happy coincidence, a vineyard laden with bunches of grapes decorates M. Renbolt's mark.

Of course, this incunabula was not the first acquisition by the collector JCReppucci; he was preceded by many other less rare works directly linked to the wine theme and others of an equal and even superior level. It was acquired in 1995, but in 1994, for example, BVR already had a Natural History by Plínio, also from 1499; and even earlier, at the very beginning of the adventure, in 1993, came into the hands of Reppucci, Vinetum (Paris, 1537) by the famous Charles Estienne.












Photo by Carla Tamae



Translated by Google Translate.

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