EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY SPANISH MISSAL, WITH MAGNIFICENT ELABORATE PURE SILVER CORNERS, CENTERPIECES AND CLASPS

(CATHOLIC MISSAL). Missale Romanum. Madrid: Antonio de Sancha, 1791. Folio (9 by 12 inches), modern full red velvet, original elaborate silver centerpieces, cornerpieces and clasps, patterned endpapers, all edges gilt and gauffered. $9500.

1791 Madrid missal, with nine full-page engraved plates, two in-text engravings of saints and an engraved vignette on the title page, magnificently bound with large elaborate pure silver corners, centerpieces and clasps, likely from a much earlier date.

The Council of Trent (first convened in 1545 and concluded in 1563) reaffirmed and codified traditional Roman Catholic doctrine in the wake of Protestantism's emergence. The first Missal revised to reflect Tridentine teachings saw print in Rome in 1570. This 1791 Missal, published in Madrid, is illustrated with nine full-page engraved plates of scenes including the Annunciation, the Crucifixion, Pentacost, the Last Supper and the Assumption of the Virgin and two in-text engravings of Saints Laurent and Jerome. At the rear of the volume are individual votive masses from a variety of publishers and dates, with a number from 1899-1901 and one as late as 1926, often closely corresponding to a saint's cannonization (such as a Mass for the feast day of Anthony Maria Zaccaria printed in 1899, shortly after his elevation to sainthood in 1897, or one for Jean-Baptiste de la Salle printed in 1901, one year after his 1900 cannonization). Early owner signature to verso of main title page.

Interior exceptionally clean, with one instance (page 26) of wax stains and just a few other stray marks, two tabs torn. The binding includes magnificent extensive pure silver armature in beautiful condition.