About this Item
GOOD COMPANION (BONUS SOCIUS): XIIIth CENTURY MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION OF CHESS PROBLEMS to which is added a short narrative of Jacobus Cessolis and the two French champions Philidor and La Bourdonnai. Edited by James F. Magee. ILLUSTRATED with a COLOR FRONTISPIECE and 38 REPRODUCTIONS taken from the ORIGINAL 13th CENTURY MANUSCRIPT on 27 PLATES, mostly double-page, 1 folding. Beautifully printed plates. Published in FLORENCE, ITALY: Printed by the Tipografia Giuntina under the Direction of L. Franceschini, 1910. Second Edition (first published in 1663). Copy 239 of a Limited Edition. "Only a limited number of volumes of this edition has been printed. This book is No. 239". Contains reproductions of the Latin chess problems vellum manuscript known as "Bonus Socius" (circa 13th Century), which is likely based on Jacobus de Cessolis (13th century). The book includes a history and a description of the manuscript, and short biographies of Philidor and La Bourdannais, all with relevant illustrations by James Magee, chess player from Philadelphia. A fine printing of the original handwritten vellum work, finely bound in sturdy calf leather covered wooden boards with five brass buttons and metal clasp brackets on both the front and rear covers (the clasp strap is clipped so the book is lacking its locking piece), leather covered spine with gilt titling, top edge gilt, 7x10 inches (17x25.5 cm), 68 numbered pages plus the many unnumbered plates. GOOD Condition: Rubbing to edges, spine folds, corner tips and spine ends, the spine covering is chipped for 3/4 inch at the top and a bit at the bottom, and is cracking at places along its folds, but is holding well; internally, the front inner hinge is cracking but holding well, ghost of a label removed from the upper corner of the front pastedown, light foxing to endpapers, mild toning to pages. A solid, complete, very presentable copy. RARE 1910 Limited Edition printing in a fine binding. Checkmate in the 13th Century. Seller Inventory # 003004
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