Introductio in Chaldaicam lingua[m], Syriaca[m], atq[ue] Armenica, & dece[m] alias linguas [Introduction to the Chaldean, Syriac and Armenian Languages, and Ten Other Tongues], by Teseo Ambrogio degli Albonesi. [Pavia, Italy: Giovanni Maria Simonetta, 1539]. Latin. First and only edition.

Philological work by the Italian scholar Teseo Ambrogio degli Albonesi (Theseus Ambrosius; 1469-1540), considered a landmark in the European study of Oriental and Semitic languages. The book presents some forty different scripts, including Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac, Armenian, Ethiopic, Greek, Coptic and others, accompanied by examples and typographical renderings of the letters. Title page printed in red and black within an elaborate woodcut border, richly ornamented with floral motifs and animals.

At the time of publication, many of the Eastern languages featured were exceedingly rare in European printing, some never before printed in any book. For the production of the volume, the author himself designed several new typefaces, leaving "blank spaces" for particularly rare letters that could not be obtained or cast – these were intended to be supplied by hand (here executed in red ink, apparently in the author’s own hand).

At the end of the book are two woodcut illustrations depicting the prototype of the musical instrument "Phagotus" – a kind of bagpipe resembling a bassoon – invented by the author’s uncle, Afranio degli Albonesi. These woodcuts were originally prepared for a musical-instrument encyclopedia by Ottmar Luscinius, but were never used; after his uncle’s death, Ambrogio discovered them and decided to print them in the present work accompanied by a brief explanation.

215 leaves. Approx. 21 cm. Good condition. Stains, creases, minor tears and light wear. Early marginal annotations on several leaves. Bookplate. Modern binding and endpapers.