Some sixteen volumes bearing the ownership inscription of Claude Rabot are presently known. Claude Rabot was one of five sons of Bertrand Rabot and Agnès Peccat. The Rabot were an ancient family settled in the Dauphiné in south-eastern France. Claude’s grandfather, Jean Rabot (d. 1500), Conseiller au parlement de Dauphiné, had accompanied Charles VIII on his Italian expedition, and was briefly Chancellor of the Kingdom of Naples; his father was Conseiller au parlement de Dauphiné from 1495-1537.² Claude studied at Padua 1534-1536, where he was accused of possessing heretical books (“libros illicitos et magicos”).³ After his father’s death (7 December 1537), Claude acquired the seigneurie de Bussières, and became the ward and tutor of his younger brothers, Guillaume and Bertrand. He married Jeanne de Chaponay, and by 1540 was Auditeur à la Chambre des comptes de Dauphiné. Claude made his testament on 28 December 1564, appointing Joachim, his only son, as universal heir;⁴ he died on 14 January 1569.⁵

Claude Rabot’s inscription in no. 10 [link]

Claude Rabot’s inscription in no. 4

Claude’s ownership inscriptions are written in a forceful humanistic hand in the forms “Claudius Rabotus,” “Claudius Rabottus,” and “Claudius Rabottus gratianopolitanus,” either at the foot of the title-page, or beside the colophon (occasionally, in both places). The books are mostly in Latin, with four in Italian (nos. 1, 2, 4, 16 in the List below), and one in French (no. 9). Three of the sixteen volumes were rebound in the 19-20C, nine are in undistinguished vellum and calf bindings (some of the latter old rebindings), and four are in contemporary luxury bindings, these possibly made by order of Claude Rabot.

Copies of the 1515 Aldine edition of Dante and the 1517 Aldine edition of Martial (nos. 4, 8) are in sober bindings of green goatskin, their covers tooled identically in blind and gilt to a panel design, with a gilt dolphin stamp placed in the corners between the two inner rectangles. Anthony Hobson dated them ca 1540, speculating that the dolphin represents the emblem of Dauphiné, and that both bindings were executed for Claude Rabot, or else for another bibliophile from the same province.⁵ The two other luxury bindings, parts of the 1535-1538 Aldine edition of the Naturalis historiae of Pliny (nos. 10-11), are elaborately decorated with geometric interlace and hollowed-out fleurons, the page edges gauffered with foliage, gilded and painted. The design imitates Parisian models, and partly because of Claude’s ownership inscriptions, Fabienne Le Bars attributed them to an unidentified Lyonese shop.⁶ The two bindings with open central panels and dolphin stamp at the corners likewise have a model in Parisian work of the 1530s loosely associated with the shop of the Salel Binder.⁷

list

(1) Giovanni Boccaccio, Il Decamerone nuouamente stampato et ricorretto per Antonio Brucioli (Venice: Bartolomeo Zanetti, for Giovanni Giolito De Ferrari, April 1538)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription “Claudius Rabottus” on title-page (opac)
● Rome, Biblioteca universitaria Alessandrina, Rari 97 (opac, “Nota ms. di possesso sul front.: Claudius Rabottus”) [link]


(2) Antonio Brucioli, Dialogi di Antonio Brucioli della morale philosophia. Libro primo [-quinto] (Venice: Bartolomeo Zanetti, 1537 [1538])

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription “Claudius Rabottus gratianopolitanus” on title and at end
● Guglielmo Bruto Icilio Tirnoleone, Count Libri (Libri-Carrucci) (1803-1869)
● Florimond-Lévéque & Victor Tilliard, Catalogue de livres, la plupart rares et curieux: provenant de la bibliothèque de M. Libri Carucci, Paris, 12-28 April 1855, lot 124 (“Quelques notes manuscrites de Claudius Rabottus gratianopolitanus, qui a mis son nom sur le titre et à la fin.”) [link]


(3) Pietro de Crescenzi, Ruralia commoda (Speier: Peter Drach, [ca 1490-1495])

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription
● unidentified owner, inscription of “Antonius Trollier” (Davies)
● Jean-Baptiste Huzard (1755-1838), autographic stamp (Davies)
● presumably P. Leblanc, Livres, dessins et estampes de la bibliothèque de feu M. J.-B. Huzard, deuxième partie, Paris, 2 May-6 June 1843, lot 659 [link]
● Bertram Ashburnham, 4th Earl of Ashburnham (1797-1878), exlibris
● Sotheby Wilkinson & Hodge, The Ashburnham Library. Catalogue of the magnificent collection of printed books the property of the Rt. Hon. the Earl of Ashburnham. First portion, London, 25 June-3 July 1897, lot 1223 (“wants title … signature of Claudius Rabotus, old calf”) [link]
● J. & J. Leighton, London - bought in sale (£4 4s)
● Charles Fairfax Murray (1849-1919), label
● possibly Christie Manson & Woods, Catalogue of a magnificent collection of rare early printed German books … forming the first portion of the library of C. Fairfax Murray, London, 10-13 December 1917, lot 137 (“mottled calf”) [link]
● possibly Bernard Quaritch, London - bought in sale (£39)
● Otto Vollbehr (1869-1946)
● Washington, DC, Library of Congress, Incun. X .C892 (opac, link)

literature
Hugh W. Davies, Catalogue of a collection of early German books in the library of C. Fairfax Murray (London 1910), no. 127 (“early owners of this copy were: Antonius Trollier and Claudius Rabottus … ex libris Lord Ashburnham … 18th cent. calf gilt”)


(4) Dante Alighieri, Dante col sito, et forma dell’Inferno tratta dalla istessa descrittione del poeta (Venice: Heirs of Aldus Manutius & Andreas Torresanus, August 1515)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription “Claudius Rabottus” on title-page
● Tammaro De Marinis (1878-1969)
● Martin Breslauer Inc., New York; their Catalogue 104/I: Fine books in fine bindings from the fifteenth to the present century (New York 1979), item 21 ($7800)
● T. Kimball Brooker, purchased form the above, 1979 [Bibliotheca Brookeriana #0193]
● Sotheby’s, Bibliotheca Brookeriana: A Renaissance Library. The Aldine Collection, D-M, London, 18 October 2024, lot 671
● Felix de Marez Oyens, Paris - bought in sale

literature
Tammaro De Marinis, La Legatura artistica in Italia nei secoli XV e XVI (Florence 1960), no. 1750 & Pl. 334 (as a Venetian binding)
Ilse Schunke, “Venezianische Renaissanceeinbande” in Studi di Bibliografia e di Storia in onore di Tammaro de Marinis (Verona 1964), IV, pp.123-200 (p.198 as “Frankreich”)
Hobson, op. cit., p.142 & Figs. 2-3


(5) Charles Estienne, Praedium rusticum, in quo cuiusuis soli vel culti vel inculti pla[n]tarum vocabula ac descriptiones … In adolescentulorum, bonarum literarum studiosorum, gratiam (Paris: Charles Estienne, 1554)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription “Claudius Rabotus” repeated twice at end (Marlborough)
● unidentified owner, inscription “Joannis Antonii Mognon Rhetor” (Marlborough)
● Convent of Recollect Franciscans, Nijmegan, inscription “Ad usum ff. Minorum Recoll. Conuentus Neomagi”
● Marlborough Rare Books, London; their Catalogue 188: Winter selection (London 2001), item 94 (£1500); Catalogue 198: Varia (London 2003), item 98


(6) Franchino Gaffurio, De harmonia musicorum instrumentorum opus (Milan: Gottardo Da Ponte, 1518)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription on last page (Minerva)
● Édouard Rahir, Paris
● F. Lair-Dubreuil, Henri Baudoin & Francisque Lefrançois, La Bibliothèque de feu Édouard Rahir ancien libraire, Deuxième partie, Paris, 6-8 May 1931, lot 528
● Grace Whitney Hoff (1862-1938)
● Amédée Boinet, Bibliothèque de madame G. Whitney Hoff: catalogue des manuscrits, incunables, éditions rares, reliures anciennes et modernes (Paris 1933), no. 22
● Minerva Auctions, Importanti libri, autografi e stampe da collezioni private, Rome, 12-13 December 2012, lot 581; Minerva Auctions, Libri, autografi e stampe, Rome, 27 March 2013, lot 383 (“nota di possesso manoscritta di ‘Claudius Rabottus’ alla carta finale”) [link]


(7) Jacob Koebel, Astrolabii declaratio, eiusdemque usus mire jucundus (Mainz: Peter Jordan, 1532)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription on title-page
● Antonius Ronna (Sotheby’s)
● Jacques Richard de Montbard (1744-1812), inkstamp “J. Richard D.M.” on title-page
● presumably Jean-Baptiste Kindelem, Catalogue des livres, machines de physique et d’astronomie, gravures, tableaux et autres objets de curiosité, composant le Cabinet de feu m. Richard de Montbard, Lyon, February 1812, lot 913 [link]
● Robert B. Honeyman (1897-1987)
● Sotheby Parke Bernet & Co., The Honeyman collection of scientific books and manuscripts, Part V: Printed books, K-M, London, 12-13 May 1980, lot 1848 (“old blind-panelled calf … ownership inscriptions of Claudius Rabottus of Grenoble and Antonius Ronna and later stamp of J. Richard D.M. on title-page”)
● Bernard Quaritch, London - bought in sale (£600)


(8) Marcus Valerius Martialis, Martialis (Venice: Heirs of Aldus Manutius & Andreas Torresanus, December 1517)


provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription “Claudius Rabotus”
● unidentified owner, inscription “Stephani Rous. B.B.d.d.”
● Guillaume de Lamoignon (1617-1677), label “Bibliotheca Lamoniana” and stamp of crowned “L” (f.3)
● Nicolas René Berryer (1703-1762)
● Chrétien-François de Lamoignon (1735-1789)
● Louis-François Delatour, Catalogue des livres imprimés et manuscrits de la bibliothèque de M. de Lamoignon, président du Parlement (Paris 1770), p.181 (“M. Valerii Martialis Epigrammata. Venetiis, in aedibus Aldi, 1517. in-8°. [3 M. 284]”) [link]
● Jean-Gabriel Mérigot, Catalogue des livres de la bibliothèque de feu M. de Lamoignon, garde des sceaux de France, Paris, 1792, lot 2493 [link]
● possibly Thomas Payne, Catalogue of books; containing a considerable part of the valuable and distinguished library of the late M. de Lamoignon (London 1793), p.211 lot 6858 (“blue turkey, gilt leaves - 10s 6d”)
● Sotheby Parke Bernet & Co., Printed books, London, 5 May 1981, lot 274 (“contemporary black morocco … sewing guards from a 14th Cent. Flemish liturgical ms., g.e., spine labelled and part gilt in the 18th Cent. … contemporary signature of Claudius Rabottus on title, later in the collections of Stephan Rous (inscription) and C.F. Lamoignon (label and stamp”) [lots 264-277 offered as “The Property of a Lady”] (realised £350) [RBH Exodus-274]
● T. Kimball Brooker, purchased at the above sale via H.D. Lyon and Lathrop C. Harper [Bibliotheca Brookeriana #0233; offered by Sotheby’s, Bibliotheca Brookeriana: A Renaissance Library. The Aldine Collection, D-M, London, 18 October 2024, lot 972]


(9) Plato, Le sympose de Platon ou de l’amour et de beauté (Paris: Jean Longis & Robert Le Mangnier, 1559)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription (f. ZZ3 verso) (opac)
● Jacques Richard de Montbard (1744-1812), inkstamp “J. Richard D.M.”
● Jacques-Antoine Lambert (1770-1850)
● Lyon, Bibliothèque municipale, Rés 390332 (opac, link)


(10-11) Gaius Plinius Secundus, C. Plinii Secundi Naturalis historiae prima [-tertia pars] (Venice: Heirs of Aldo Manuzio & Heinrs of Andrea Torresano, 1536-1538 [4 volumes, 1536/1536 (title/colophon), 1535/1535, 1535/1536, 1538/1538 - Le Bars indicates the Lyon copy is vol 1 (parts 1 and 4), volume 2 (parts 2 and 3)]

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription “Claudius Rabotus”
● Collège de la Sainte-Trinité de la Compagnie de Jésus, Lyon (1675)
● Lyon, Bibliothèque municipale, Rés.357347(1-2) (opac, link; Numelyo, link)

literature
Henri Joly, Exposition de reliures (Lyon 1925), p.12 no. 51 & PL. 14
Le Bars, op. cit., nos. 45-46 (as “Lyon, atelier non identifié”: “On connaît de la bibliothèque de ce personnage lettré, dont le frère Laurent était lié aux cercles érudits lyonnais, cinq autres volumes; trois sont encore dans leur reliure d’origine en maroquin vert à décor doré, dont deux comportent un fer au dauphin, possible référence au Dauphiné natal du possesseur (Hobson 1990, p. 141-142)”)


(12) Gaius Plinius Secundus, In omnes C. Plinii Secundi Naturalis historiae argutissimi scriptoris libros, Stephani Aquaei Bituricensis, viri Equestris, Commentaria (Paris: Galliot Du Pré, July 1530)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription “Claudius Rabotus” on title-page
● Reiss & Sohn, Auktion 198, Königstein im Taunus, 28-29 April 2020, lot 240 (“Titel u. letzte S. mit hs. Besitzvermerk von Claude Rabot” [link])
● Libreria Piani, Monte San Pietro (BO)


(13) Plutarchus, Vite Plutarchi Cheronei post Pyladen Brixianum lo[n]ge diligentius reposite : cum maiore verioreq[ue] indice : necnon cum Aemilii Probi Vitis ([Paris], Josse Bade & Jean Petit, November 1514)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription on last page
● Moreau de Vérone, inscription on title-page (Alde)
● Alde, Livres anciens du XVIe au XIXe siècle, Paris, 26 October 2022, lot 77 (“Exemplaire de Claude Rabot, avec ex-libris manuscrit au dernier feuillet”) [link]


(14) Iulius Pollux, Onomasticon (Basel: Robert Winter, 1541), bound with: Rudolf Gwalther, In Julii pollucis dictionarium annotationes (Basel: Robert Winter, 1541)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription "Claudius Rabotus" below colophon of Gwalther
● Jacques Richard de Montbard (1744-1812)
● Jacques-Antoine Lambert (1770-1850)
● Lyon, Bibliothèque municipale, 347437 (opac, link, link; digitised, link)


(15) Johannes de Sacro Bosco, Sphaera mundi. Georgius Purbachius: Theoricae novae planetarum. Regiomontanus: Disputationes contra Cremonensia deliramenta (Venice: Guilelmus Anima Mia, Tridinensis, 14 January 1491)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription “Claudius Rabotus” (Madsen)
● Augustus Frederick, Royal Duke of Sussex (1773-1843), exlibris (opac)
● Copenhagen, Royal Danish Library, Inc. Haun., 2314 4° (opac, link)

literature
Victor Madsen, Katalog over det Kongelige Biblioteks inkunabler (Copenhagen 1935-1963), no. 2314


(16) Vitruvius Pollio, Di Lucio Vitruuio Pollione De architectura libri dece traducti de latino in vulgare affigurati (Como: Gottardo Da Ponte, 15 July 1521), bound with Marco Fabio Calvi, Antiquae vrbis Romae cum regionibus simulachrum. (Rome: Valerio Dorico, April 1532)

provenance
● Claude Rabot, inscription “Claudius Rabotus Gratianopolitanus”
● Hippolyte-Alexandre-Gabriel-Walter Destailleur (1822-1893)
● Maurice Delestre & Damascène Morgand, Catalogue de livres et estampes relatifs aux beaux-arts … provenant de la bibliothèque de feu Hippolyte Destailleur, Paris, 20-31 May 1895, lot 217 (“veau brun estampé. (Rel. anc.) … Bon exemplaire relié au XVIe siècle … Signature autographe de Claude Rabot de Grenoble”) [link]
● Sotheby & Co., Catalogue of valuable printed books, autograph letters & literary manuscripts, London, 25-28 March 1929, lot 251
● E.P. Goldschmidt & Co., London - bought in sale (£19)
● E.P. Goldschmidt, Catalogue 19: Greek and Roman classics; Church Fathers; mediaeval literature, S. Augustine, Dante, Erasmus (London 1929), item 102 (“contemporary brown calf, decorated with rolls … The volume bears in several places the autograph ownership entry: ‘Claudius Rabotus Gratianopolitanus’”); Catalogue 20: Art, architecture, bookbindings and book illustration (London 1929), item 26 [E.P. Goldschmidt stockbook, entry #10710, sold to Hofer, 21 May 1930, £24 10s]
● Philip Hofer (1898-1984); his gift to
● Cambridge, MA, Harvard University, Houghton Library, Typ 525 21.871

literature
Ruth Mortimer, Harvard College Library Department of Printing and Graphic Arts: Catalogue of books and manuscripts, Italian 16th century books (Cambridge, MA 1974), no. 544 (p.759: “with autograph of Claude Rabot, one ms. note by Rabot, and a half-page note on a front fly-leaf in another”)