Category: Italian 15th-16th Books

Printing William Morris Emery Walker, 1894: “the invention of movable metal letters in the middle of the fifteenth century may justly be considered{112} as the invention of the art of printing. And it is worth mention in passing that, as an example of fine typography, the earliest book printed with movable types, the Gutenberg, or “forty-two…

AUGUSTINUS, Aurelius (354-430). De civitate Dei. Venice: Johannes and Vindelinus de Spira, 1470. AUGUSTINUS, Aurelius (354-430). De civitate Dei. Venice: Johannes and Vindelinus de Spira, 1470. Royal 2° (399 x 280mm). Collation: [1-28 3-2610 278 2810] (1/1 blank, 1/2r rubrics table, 2/8 blank, 3/1r prologue and text, 28/9r colophon, 28/10 blank). 273 leaves (of 274, without blank 2/8). 50…

Historia naturalis, 1469 AUTHOR/ARTIST:  Pliny, the Elder. PUBLISHER:  [Venice : Johannes de Spira, before 18 Sept. 1469] DESCRIPTION:  [712] p. ; 42 cm. (fol.)

Hieronymus, Sophronius Eusebius (347-420). Commentaria in Bibliam. Ed: Bernardinus Gadolus. Venice, Johannes and Gregorius de Gregoriis, de Forlivio, 1497 – 25 August 1498. Hieronymus, Sophronius Eusebius (347-420). Commentaria in Bibliam. Ed: Bernardinus Gadolus. Venice, Johannes and Gregorius de Gregoriis, de Forlivio, 1497 – 25 August 1498. This border is more elaborate than that included in…

Vera Historia, 1494 (Benedetto Bordone). Lucianus Samosatensis (125–after 180 BC). Vera historia. Tr: Lilius (Tifernas) Castellanus. Add: De asino aureo; Philosophorum vitae; Scipio; Tyrannus; Scaphidium (Dialogus de funerali pompa); Palinurus; Charon; Diogenes; Terpsion; Hercules; Virtus dea; In amorem; Timon; Sermo de calumnia; Laus muscae. Ed: Benedictus Bordonus; Maephus Vegius: De Felicitate et miseria. Venice, Simon…

Apuleius’ Metamorphoses, 1519 Title: Apulegio volgare, diuiso in undeci libri, novamente stampato & in molti lochi aggiontoui che nella prima impressione gli manchaua, & de molte più figure adornato Author: Lucius Madaurensis Apuleius (M’Daourouch, Algeria ca. 124–after 170) Designer: Design of illustrations attributed to Benedetto Bordone (Italian, Padua ca. 1455/60–1530 Padua, active mainly Venice from 1488) Translator: Matteo Maria…

Livius, Historiae Romanae decades [Italian], Venice, 1493, modern half calf Description Titus Livius Historiae Romanae decades [Italian]. Venice: Johannes Rubeus Vercellensis, for Lucantonio Giunta, 11 February 1493 Median folio (328 x 216mm.), 347 leaves (of 382), [*8 **10] a-o8 p10 aa-oo8 pp10 A-P8, double column, 63 lines plus headline, roman type, woodcut initials, first leaf of each decade with a woodcut illustration…

HERODOTUS (fl. 5th century BC). Historiae, translated from Greek into Latin by Laurentius Valla, edited by Antonius Mancinellus. Venice: Johannes & Gregorius de Gregoriis, 8 March 1494 [actually not before 30 March 1494]. HERODOTUS (fl. 5th century BC). Historiae, translated from Greek into Latin by Laurentius Valla, edited by Antonius Mancinellus. Venice: Johannes & Gregorius de…

[Book of Hours. Use of Rome].[Florence or Fiesole, ca. 1480].Illuminated manuscript on vellum, signed by Biagio di Piero di Jacopo da Fiesole. (BRMS 14) Although the original owner and talented illuminator of this Book of Hours both remain unknown, the scribe who transcribed the text signed his name on folio 111 recto as “Biagio di…

Canzoniere ; Trionfi : manuscript, 1440. Italy Petrarca, Francesco, 1304-1374, creatorGiovanni di Piero da Stia, ser, scribe. 186 leaves, bound : vellum ; 25 cm. Triomphi del Petrarcha ; Canzoni di Dante Allighieri poeta fiorentino : manuscript, 1464. Italy 1 v. (49, 38 leaves) : vellum, paper ; 22 cm. Deiphira : manuscript, [not after…