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In the National Library of Valletta

For about twenty five years I have been dealing with ancient (or early modern) texts and more specifically with cataloging, revising and sending to the SBN records, relating to the ancient library collection of Syracuse and its Province.

Contemporary blind stamped quarter binding in pigskin over beech boards
(Inc. 60  Seneca, De moribus. Venice, Bernardinus de Choris, de Cremona, and Simon de Luere, 5 Oct. 1490)

Together with some colleagues, during the years 2009-2019, we compiled two catalogues of Incunabula; hence my increased interest in the study of incunabula, found in the National Library of Valletta, which I visited for the first time in February 2020. 60 of those incunabula were already registered in ISTC, but there were 14 incunabula not included in ISTC.

At the same time, I started to explore the surroundings of Malta, in order to record incunabula in religious libraries. I have, so far, discovered 20 specimens, but this project in ongoing.

My goal is to produce a catalogue of incunabula in Malta and, at the same time, to complete the relevant records in MEI.

Left: Inc. 42.  Gaio Giulio Solino, Polyhistor, sive De mirabilibus mundi, sive Collectanea rerum memorabilium. Venice, Theodorus de Ragazonibus, 23 Aug. 1491.
Right: Inc. 30. Guilelmus Peraldus, Summa de virtutibus et vitiis.Brescia, Angelus and Jacobus Britannicus, 24 Dec. 1494.

27 July 2020 – National Library of Valletta

After a long lasting lockdown period we returned to the National Library of La Valletta in order to continue our incunabula studies. The library owns a huge collection of very precious books, enriched by many individual legacies such as the Incunabulum nr. 55 entitled Officium beate Mariae Virginis ad vsum Romane ecclesie, Venice, Johannes Hamman, 1490.

The specimen bears in c.a2r the handwritten owner’s note: Fr. Joseph Zammit dedit et donat. Brother Giuseppe Zammit (1650-1740) was a doctor and a clergyman and chaplain of St. John’s Hospital and Military Order.

Inc. 55 – Horae ad usum Romanum (Rome). Venice, Johannes Hamman, 1490

28 July 2020 – St. Dominic Convent, Rabat

Rabat, a town in the heartland of Malta, is rich in history and charm, with an Arabic touch. St. Paul stayed here founding the first Christian community on the island.

Around 1450 Dominican monks coming from Sicily reached this territory. They decided to found their community in that cave where it is said the Holy Virgin had appeared to a hunter. Very soon the Dominicans built a huge church dedicated to the Virgin of the Cave.

28 July 2020 – St. Dominic Convent, Rabat

The convent’s library hosts 11 incunabula not yet registered in ISTC.

Left to right:
Inc. 3 – Thomas Aquinas. Super quarto libro Sententiarum Petri Lombardi. Venice, Bonetus Locatellus, for Octavianus Scotus, 23 May 1497
Inc. 8 – Thomas de Vio Caietanus. Tractatus de cambiis. [Milan, n.pr., after 9 Dec. 1499] Inc. 1- Antoninus Florentinus. Summa theologica, Pars III. Venice, Andreas de Paltasichis, 21 Apr. 1485

29 July 2020 – Capuchin Central Library, Floriana

My trip to Malta ends with a visit to the Capuchin library in Floriana, a little town near the capital Valletta. The Capuchin Provincial Library, situated at the Floriana Capuchin Friary -established in 1588/59 -, is mostly rich in Theological works and for its Melitensea collection.

The library has only one incunabulum, Ovid’s edition entitled Fasti published in Rome in 1489.

Inc. 1 – Ovidius Naso, Publius. Fasti. Rome, Eucharius Silber, 23 Oct.  1489

The third part of my trip to Malta was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, but hopefully it will continue soon. See you in 2021, Malta!