Armorial Bindings: An Academic Prize Book

Lucius Annaeus Florus, L. Annaei Flori Epitome rerum Romanarum (1744), with arms of The Hague (Netherlands).

Florus (c. 74 – c. 130 AD) is known chiefly for his Epitome, or abridgement of Roman history, based on the work of Livy.  Though not a towering classic, it was read in early modern classrooms and attracted the attention of humanists like Salmasius (1588-1653), whose notes are printed with the volume.  The edition here is by Carl Andreas Duker (1670-1752), a classical scholar and jurist. 

This is an academic prize book, awarded to a student in 1836 for class achievement, and signed by the student and a school committee.  The prize binding has beautifully stamped covers featuring Athena.  On her shield is a stork with a black eel in its mouth, part of the arms of The Hague. 

– Ryan Greenwood, Rare Book Fellow 

“Armorial Bindings,” an exhibit curated by Ryan Greenwood, is on display from September 23 to December 18, 2013, and is located on level L2 of the Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.