Early Printed, Continental and British Lots 1 - 60
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(INCUNABLE) SIMONETA, JOANNES
(INCUNABLE) CICERO, MARCUS TULLIUS
Commentarii rerum gestarum Francisci Sfortiae. Mediolani: Antonius Zarottus, September 23, 1486. 188 leaves, 54 lines, Roman type; a-z, &, A, in eights, except f, i, n, s, in sixes, and A, four leaves. 4to, nineteenth-century marbled boards, gilt-stamped calf spine, elaborately hand-colored initials to first page in blue, green, red and gilt, with “Sforza” monogram crowned at the top with keys and bishop’s mitre, text “Spero Lucem” below. Manuscript ex-libris Jacobi de Guazzoni of Cremona to final leaf. Rare second edition of the monumental “Sforziada,” executed by the private secretary of the Sforza family, Giovanni Simonetta (Joannes Simoneta) between 1470 and 1479, to glorify the Duke and the city of Milan. The work, in 31 parts, comprises a biography of Francesco Sforza and a history of the Duchy of Milan from 1420 to 1466. A manuscript poem is included on the final leaf: “Franc(isc)i Sphortis primi mihi ducis epi(scopi) - Dextra mihi imperium peperit ...”.
Orationes Philippicae. Venice: Henricus de Santo Ursino, June 9, 1488. 102 pages, unnumbered. Folio, full calf. Third edition with commentary of Franciscus Maturantius. An exquisite example of the highest level of aestheticism among incunabula printing, wherein the main text is printed in a large Roman type and surrounded by a “sea of commentary” in a smaller type. Lower margin of some pages neatly restored; intermittent foxing; soiling to fore edge p. 23; scattered light brownspotting; wormholing to the inner edge of last 15 leaves; manuscript marginalia throughout; some soiling to vellum, with minor wear to corners and lower outer hinges; wormholing to endpapers; otherwise fine. Literature: Hain C-5138, Goff 556. $3,000-5,000
Few manuscript notations to margins; minor spotting to first and last few pages; some light wormholing concentrated to lower inner fore edge; light dampstain to some pages; 1/4-inch tear to m8; spaces for initials left blank; minor rubbing to boards; otherwise fine. Literature: Brunet V, 395. Goff S533. IGI 9014. Pr 5821. BMC VI, 719. $6,000-8,000
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