EUSEBIUS CAESARIENSIS. Evangelicae praparationis lib. XV. [together with:] Evangelicae demonstrationis lib. X., 2 works in one binding. Paris, Robert Estienne, 1544-45.
Folio, 332x213 mm. Collation:a-z6, aa-ss6, tt4; Aa-Zz6, aaa-Ccc6, Ddd4, 498, #2; 138 [i.e. 318], #2 pp.). Greek text, woodcut printer's devices on titles, (Estienne's basilisk as king's printer), and on verso of final leaf his olive tree device, with headpieces and initials (some of which are attributed to the renowned artist Geoffroy Tory).
Renovated fine contemporary full calf binding, boards with gilt decor, rebacked preserving original richly gilt spine with raised bands, some wear and repairs to boards, gilt gauffered edges. Antiquarian book dealer's label, James Miles, Leeds.
Some old annotations, foxing and minor stains, one inkstain to margin, some marginal notes in an early hand. Inside of board some notes and name labels.

Fine, wide-margined copy. First edition of the Greek text, "Grec du Roi".
First edition of these two works by the Christian exegete Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, also known as Eusebius Pamphili. The second and third volumes in a series of Greek texts printed by the Typographus Regius Robert Estienne from manuscripts belonging to the Royal Library in Fontainbleau, which began with Eusebius' Ecclesiastica historia, published earlier in 1544. The Eusebius series represents the first appearance of the first font known as grecs du roi, the types commissioned by King François I and cut by Claude Garamont. "The cursive Greek types, still acknowledged as some of the finest ever cut, were based on the script of the calligrapher Angelo Vergezio, who was then engaged in transcribing and cataloguing Greek manuscripts for the royal library" (Mortimer, French, I, pp. 266-267).