BARTHOLOMAEUS ANGLICUS (fl. 1230–1250). De proprietatibus rerum. Cologne: Johann Koelhoff, the Elder, 1481.

The York Minster copy of the second dated edition of the most-read encyclopaedia of the Middle Ages. One of the earliest medieval encyclopaedias, Bartholomaeus’ The Nature of Things was first printed in Cologne in 1471. By compiling and re-presenting earlier sources, citing Classical and contemporary authorities and contributing original observations and perspectives, Bartholomaeus’ De proprietatibus rerum set a new standard for collecting the sum of human knowledge and ushered in the 13th-century “Age of Encyclopaedias”. It is often cited as the most-quoted encyclopaedia of the Middle Ages, and was a vital source of information for readers across Europe. HC 2501; BMC I 223; Bod-inc B-062; CIBN B-97; GW 3405; Goff B-133; Klebs 149.4; ISTC ib00133000.

Chancery folio (290 × 205mm). 455 leaves (of 458, without first and final blanks and lacking a9). Blue initials with red filigree at the start of each book, rubricated Lombardic capitals throughout (occasional light soiling, few creased leaves and marginal tears not affecting text, small stains on g8v and h1 from gesso-like material mostly removed but one affecting text, light dampstain in quires 2h to 2l). 19th-century English calf, six-band frame on covers filleted in blind, gilt lettering and compartment rules on spine, edges tooled in blind, early vellum endpapers bound in (joints starting at head and tail, some scratches on boards). Provenance: early manuscript annotations in multiple hands including running titles, foliation/index concordance and Latin inscriptions – York Minster Library (supralibros, bookplate) – Phyllis Goodhart Gordan (1913–1994; leather label); by descent.