Moses. From the Tomb of Pope Julius II
by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), artist. Béatrizet, Nicolas (ca. 1515-1565), or Cornelis Bos (c. 1506/10 – before 7 May 1555), attributed engravers
Rome: ca, 1550. SECOND STATE, of three, with the addition of “Romae” incised at lower right. Hardcover. Fine. A very fine example, with high contrast, of this rare print. This is the first published engraving dedicated to Michelangelo’s Moses, and one of only two made in the 16th century. The funerary monument of Julius II occupied Michelangelo, in various phases, from 1505 to the 1540s. Prints of the entire monument are few. In them, the figure of Moses... Read More
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Portrait of Michelangelo Buonarroti
by MICHELANGELO. Ghisi, Giorgio (1520-1582), after Marcello Venusti (ca. 1512-1579)
No place: no printer, no date, after, 1564. SOLE STATE. Hardcover. Fine. Watermark unidentified (partly obscured by the image). A good impression, trimmed just within the image, “Georgius Mantovanus Fecit” lightly written in ink next to Ghisi’s monogram. Verso soiled, early crease visible on verso only. With stippling still visible in the face but no visible ruling in the inscription. Early impressions are rich with sharp contrasts, much stippling on the face, and ruled guidelines for the letters... Read More
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Five Soldiers (The Bathers). Detail from the Battle of Cascina
by MICHELANGELO BUONARROTI (1475-1564). Michele Lucchese (active 1534-1564) after Agostino Veneziano (1490-1540)
Rome: Michele Lucchese, ca. 1534-, 1564. SECOND STATE (of 5). With “Michaelan/gelus. Buona/rotus. Inuentor” on the plaque at center and “.M.L./cum priuile-/gio.” on the slab at lower right. Hardcover. Fine. A fine, rich impression and a very fine example, with ample margins and only some marginal blemishes. This is a reversed copy of an engraving by Agostino Veneziano (1490-1540), published in 1523, of five figures from Michelangelo’s cartoon for the Battle of Cascina, a grouping sometimes referred to... Read More
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La vita et miraculi de sancto Anello benedicto
by MIRACLES. EXORCISM. Giovanni da Napoli (fl. ca. 1516-1532)
Naples: per maestro Ioanne Sulsbach [Giovanni Sultzbach] Alemano, 1532. FIRST EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in contemporary vellum (a bit wrinkled, small defects to spine) with a contemporary Sicilian gift inscription occupying the full length of the lower cover: “Al mio padre Gia[como] Batt[ist]a Serabone [?] della Compagnia del Giesu. Messina.” Inscription on title (scored through) “Collegii Messiniensis Soc. Jesu.”; 16th or 17th c. ownership inscription on title: "Custodia Caraffa" and associated ownership inscription on leaf B1 verso, “Questo... Read More
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Lucubrationes, ab innumeris mendis repurgatae. Utopiae libri II. Progymnasmata. Epigrammata. Ex Lucinao conversa quaedam. Declamatio Lucianicae respondens. Epistolae. Quibus additae sunt duae aliorum Epistolae, de vita, moribus & morte Mori
by More, Thomas, Saint (1478-1535)
Basel: Episcopium F.[ratres], 1563. FIRST COLLECTED EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in 17th c. French mottled sheep, spine richly tooled in gold (some light surface wear, mainly at the hinges and extremities; minor scuffs and two scrapes to the boards, all edges red.) Internally a very good copy, bound a little tight, with early marginal annotations (some cropped) and light foxing. The woodcut illustration of the Island of Utopia is on leaf d3. Printer's device on final leaf, verso.... Read More
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Protestation odder empietung Tome Müntzers vo(n) Stolberg am Hartzs Seelwarters zu Alstedt seine Lere betreffende, unnd tzum Anfang von dem rechten Christen Glawben, unnd der Tawffe
by Müntzer, Thomas (1489-1525)
[Eilenburg]: Nikolaus Widemar, 1524. FIRST EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. Sewn. Housed in a folding chemise case. With a large title page woodcut of a German "Wildman" bearing a shield with the arms of Allstedt. Although "Allstedt" is cut into the woodblock on the title, the place of printing is Eilenburg. A fine copy with minor soiling and some mild edge-wear to the inner margin of the title and a small adhesion scar to the blank margin of the same... Read More
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Eyn Schrecklich geschicht vnnd gericht gottes vber Thomas Müntzer, darinn Gott offentlich desselbigen geyst lügenstrafft vnnd verdamnet
by Müntzer, Thomas (1489-1525); Luther, Martin (1483-1546)
[Erfurt]: [Melchior Sachse], 1525. SECOND EDITION (in the year of the 1st ed.). Hardcover. Fine. Stitched. Housed in a modern clamshell box. A very good copy of this scarce publication. Very slight curling to extreme upper and outer margin of title, title lightly toned at head. Very light marginal stain on penultimate leaf. Early foliation in upper corners. Blank verso of final leaf with mild soiling. With an elaborated woodcut title-page border (Luther, Titeleinfassungen der Reformationszeit, 74). Both... Read More
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Descrizione della Reale Galleria di Firenze secondo lo stato attuale
by MUSEUMS. ITALY. Cambiagi, Gaetano (attrib.)
Florence: Per Gaetano Cambiagi, 1792. Hardcover. Fine. Bound with: Massi, Pasquale, da Cesena Indicazione Antiquaria del Pontificio Museo Pio-Clementino in Vaticano, stesa da Pasquale Mass Cesenate Custode del Museo Stesso/ Catalogue Indicatif des Antiquitès Composant Le Musèe Pie-Clèmentin au Vatican par Paschal Massi de Cesèns Garde du dit Musèe. Roma: Presso Lazzarini, 1792 Two Octavo Volumes in one: 15.5 x 10 cm. I. (Cambiagi): 279 p. Octavo: A-Q8, R12. II (Massi): [4] 216 pp.... Read More
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![Ragguaglio delle Antichità e Rarità che si conservano nella Galleria Mediceo-Imperiale di Firenze. Parte I [all published] Opera Di Giuseppe Bianchi Custode Della Medesima…](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/288/464/1601464288.7.l.jpg)
Ragguaglio delle Antichità e Rarità che si conservano nella Galleria Mediceo-Imperiale di Firenze. Parte I [all published] Opera Di Giuseppe Bianchi Custode Della Medesima…
by MUSEUMS. Bianchi, Giuseppe (b. ca. 1727)
Florence: Nella stamperia Imperiale, 1759. FIRST EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. An exceptional copy bound in contemporary carta rustica. A few leaves creased, boards very lightly soiled. The text is adorned with attractive woodcut initials and headpieces. Printed on thick, crisp paper with broad margins; a number leave with the lower edges untrimmed. A crisp, bright copy in original three-quarter calf and speckled paper over boards, spine with floral ornaments. The text is adorned with attractive woodcut initials and headpieces.... Read More
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Metallotheca: opus posthumum, auctoritate & munificentia Clementis undecimi pontificis maximi e tenebris in lucem eductum : opera autem & studio Joannis Mariæ Lancisii archiatri pontificii illustratum
by MUSEUMS. MINERALS. FOSSILS. Mercati, Michele (1541-1593)
Rome: Ex officina Jo. Mariæ Salvioni, 1717-, 1719. SOLE EDITION. Second issue, with the 1719 cancel title page to the first part (to coordinate with the date of the 1719 supplement with which this copy is bound.). Hardcover. Fine. With added engraved plates: Part I: Portrait of Mercati, folding view of the museum, Cabinet I, folding view of the mines of Pozzuoli, a coral (at p. 101). Part II: portrait of Lancisi. (The engraved frontis. with portrait of... Read More
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The Natural History of Oxford-shire, Being an Essay toward the Natural History of England. By Robert Plot, LL.D.
by NATURAL HISTORY. Plot, Robert (1640-1696)
Oxford: And are to be had there: And in London at Mr. S. Millers, at the Star near the West-end of St. Pauls Church-yard, 1677. FIRST EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. An excellent, very tall copy on heavy paper. Bound in contemporary English paneled calf, (nicely rebacked and with repairs to the corners, some mild surface wear. The boards are framed by a double gilt rule, the central compartment with a roll-tooled border and ornate floral tools at the corners,... Read More
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COSTRUZIONE ED USO DEL COMPASSO DI PROPORZIONE
by NAVIGATION. Pagnini, Giovanni
NAPLES: IGNAZIO RUSSO, 1753. FIRST EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in contemporary vellum over boards. Foxing. Complete with the 15 engraved plates. Little is known of the author other than that he wrote another book on navigation in 1750. This work on the sector was translated into Spanish in 1758. By the time this book was published, the design of the European sector had become standardized. Compare this design, for example, with that in the fourth edition of... Read More
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Libro primo de la conquista del Peru & provincia del Cuzco de le Indie Occidentali
by NEW WORLD. Xerez, Francisco de [also Francisco de Jerez] (1495-?1565)
Venice: Stephano da Sabbio, March, 1535. FIRST ITALIAN EDITION (The first ed., in Spanish, appeared in 1534). Hardcover. Fine. Bound in fine 20th-century dark green long grained morocco, boards framed by an ornamental roll, gilt. Gilt spine and turn-ins. A very good copy, edges sprinkled blue. Small, discreet repair to blank upper margin of t.p. and lower blank corner of 2nd leaf; small stain at upper corner of 4th leaf; gathering 'e' possibly supplied. Title with large woodcut... Read More
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Occhio errante dalla ragione emendato. Prospettiva
by OPTICS. PERSPECTIVE. Diano, Ferdinando di (b. ca. 1571 – d. ca. 1650)
Venice: Lucio Spineda, 1628. SOLE EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. Contemporary limp vellum in fine condition (paste-down torn). The text is in excellent condition with a few instances of light toning (in gatherings O, S, and X), and a small worm-track in the margin of the first few lvs. The text is illustrated with woodcut diagrams. An extremely rare book. OCLC cites only 1 copy in North America (Columbia University) and 5 other institutional copies outside of Italy (two in... Read More
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Perspectiva communis
by OPTICS. Peckham [also Pecham], John (c. 1230 - 8 December 1292); Gaurico, Luca (March 12, 1475 - March 6, 1558)
Venice: Giovanni Battista Sessa, June, 1504. THIRD OR FOURTH EDITION (of the two editions of 1504, priority has not been determined). THE FIRST TO BE EDITED BY LUCA GAURICO. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in modern vellum. Title with large woodcut showing the author in his study, surrounded by books, lecturing his students, one of whom takes notes. Sessa's cat-and-mouse printer's device appears on the same leaf.,The text is illustrated with 77 woodcut diagrams. A very fine copy, crisp and... Read More
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Metamorphoses. Ed. Barnabas Celsanus
by Ovidius Naso, Publius (43 BCE-17 CE)
Vicenza: Hermannus Liechtenstein. 12 August, 1480. An early edition (the first was printed in 1471) of Ovid’s ‘Metamorphoses’, printed as a companion to the same printer's volume of Ovid's other works, printed in May of the same year. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in contemporary Italian calf over wooden boards, blind-tooled and panelled by intersecting fillets (rebacked, worn, wormholes; clasps and catches missing), bottom edge lettered “Ovidij Metam.”. The paste-downs are almost complete leaves from a printed legal work (see... Read More
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![P. Ouidii Nasonis Metamorphoseon libri XV. Raphaelis Regii Volaterrani luculentissima explanatio, cum nouis alterius viri eruditissimi additionibus. Lactantii Placiti in singulas fabulas arguments, eruditissimorum virorum Coelii Rhodigini, Ioan. Baptistae Egnatii, Henrici Glareani, Giberti Longolii, & Iacobi Fanensis in pleraque omnia loca difficiliora annotations. Omnia nunc postremo à multis erroribus & mendis purgata, summaq[ue] cura excusa. Cum indice rerum memorabilium ac fabularum omnium, quae libris singulis continentur](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/485/120/1696120485.0.l.jpg)
P. Ouidii Nasonis Metamorphoseon libri XV. Raphaelis Regii Volaterrani luculentissima explanatio, cum nouis alterius viri eruditissimi additionibus. Lactantii Placiti in singulas fabulas arguments, eruditissimorum virorum Coelii Rhodigini, Ioan. Baptistae Egnatii, Henrici Glareani, Giberti Longolii, & Iacobi Fanensis in pleraque omnia loca difficiliora annotations. Omnia nunc postremo à multis erroribus & mendis purgata, summaq[ue] cura excusa. Cum indice rerum memorabilium ac fabularum omnium, quae libris singulis continentur
by Ovidius Naso, Publius (43 BCE-17 CE)
Venice: Apud Nicolaum Moretum, 1586. WITH MORE THAN 60 WOODCUT ILLUSTRATIONS. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in early stiff parchment (soiled, some minor worming, hinges starting, upper board bowed. A very good copy, title lightly soiled, scattered light damp-staining, minor soiling, and marginal foxing in the first 7 gatherings (the first 4 books), two leaves in gathering A lightly browned, small abrasion to image on leaf E7, short worm-trail on the last two index leaves affecting a few words, another... Read More
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Pianta di Roma e del Campo Marzo
by Piranesi, Giovanni Battista (1720-1778); Nolli, Giovanni Battista (1692-1756)
Rome: ca, 1774. FIRST EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. Image size (from plate mark): 121.2 x 71.1 cm. A fine impression, tiny area of blank left margin neatly repaired, some light marginal soiling. With no staining or discoloration where the three sheets are joined. Paper with watermark of a fleur-de-lis within a double circle. Giovanni Piranesi’s monumental map of Rome, which incorporates the earlier, extraordinarily precise plan of the cartographer Giovanni Battista Nolli (1748). The 1748 map was the first... Read More
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![Antichità Romane de' tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori, disegnate, ed incise da G.B.Piranesi architetto Veneziano… Parte Prima [-Seconda]](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/829/929/1652929829.0.l.jpg)
Antichità Romane de' tempi della Repubblica, e de' primi Imperatori, disegnate, ed incise da G.B.Piranesi architetto Veneziano… Parte Prima [-Seconda]
by Piranesi, Giovanni Battista (1720-1778)
Rome: Si vende dall' Autore dirimpetta l'Academia di Franzia, 1748. FIRST EDITION. The paper bears the watermark “lily within two circles”. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in contemporary patterned boards, painted vellum spine and corners (boards and paint with some wear). Internally a fine copy with very wide margins and minimal light foxing. Part I: 4 plates comprising the title, dedication, and 2 leaves of inscriptions; 11 plates numbered 1, 6-15 (the plate numbered “1” is in some copies corrected... Read More
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![The Historie of the World. Commonly called, the Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor in Physicke. The first [& Second] tome](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/871/744/1326744871.0.l.jpg)
The Historie of the World. Commonly called, the Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. Translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor in Physicke. The first [& Second] tome
by Pliny, the Elder (23-79 A.D.); Holland, Philemon (1552-1637), translator
London: Impensis G. Bishop, 1601. FIRST EDITION, second issue with cancel title page. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in contemporary English calfskin, ruled in blind, re-backed and re-cornered in morocco. An excellent copy internally with very minor faults. A few signatures have very marginal damp-stains, there are occasional rust spots, minor marginal tears, and a few natural paper flaws (no loss to text.) The first title page features an elaborate architectural border with Solomonic columns. "The 'Natural History' of Pliny... Read More
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![Pomponius Mela. Iulius Solinus. Itinerarium Antonini Aug. Vibius Sequester. P. Victor De Regionibus Urbis Romae. Dionysius Afer de Situ Orbis Prisciano interprete. Iter[u]m castigatus & cum Graeco exe[m]plari collatus](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/071/398/1515398071.11.l.jpg)
Pomponius Mela. Iulius Solinus. Itinerarium Antonini Aug. Vibius Sequester. P. Victor De Regionibus Urbis Romae. Dionysius Afer de Situ Orbis Prisciano interprete. Iter[u]m castigatus & cum Graeco exe[m]plari collatus
by Pomponius Mela (fl. ca. 41); Gaius Julius Solinus (3rd c.); Vibius Sequester (4th or 5th c.) Dionysius Periegetes (fl. ca. 118); Publius Victor, (?4th c.) et al.
Florence: Per haeredes Philippi Iuntae, 1526. SECOND GIUNTA EDITION (1st 1519). Hardcover. Fine. A tall, unsophisticated copy, in its original limp vellum binding (vellum stained, lacking ties, short split to upper hinge). The text is in very good condition with intermittent foxing, heavier in some gatherings. A compendium of ancient geographical texts, including descriptions of the known world by Pomponius Mela, Dionysius Periegetes, and Gaius Julius Solinus. Shorter texts include a catalogue of the regions within the city... Read More
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Here begynneth the prologue or prohemye of the book callid Caton" Disticha de moribus, in English and Latin. Translated from the French by William Caxton. With a paraphrase and commentary
by Pseudo-CATO, Dionysius (c.3rd-4th centuries C.E.). CAXTON, William (ca. 1422-1492)
Westminster: William Caxton, after 23 December, 1483. FIRST EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. Bound in brown crushed morocco by Riviere and son, spine lettered in gilt, gilt edges. With 18 leaves in facsimile. Partly foliated in a contemporary hand (one tiny hole in penultimate leaf, washed and pressed, occasional small stain) Provenance: Henry Baker (contemporary signature on most lower margins) - "Richard" (contemporary inscription on giii) - Sir Joseph Whatley, KCH (1765-?1844; armorial bookplate and manuscript notes) - Bertram, 4th... Read More
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Imperatorum et Caesarum Vitae, cum Imaginibus ad vivam effigiem expressis. Libellus auctus cum elencho & Iconiis Consulum ab Authore. M.D. XXXIIII
by RENAISSANCE. NUMISMATICS. Huttich, Johann (ca. 1490-1544); Weiditz, Hans (ca. 1495- ca. 1536), artist
Strasbourg: Wolfgang Kopfel, 1534. FOURTH AND MOST COMPLETE EDITION. Hardcover. Fine. This is "the first with the ‘Elenchus’ and the first with this title." (Fairfax Murray) Bound in fine contemporary calf, elaborately tooled in gold, edges gauffered and gilded. While the binder is unknown, similar bindings were made in Bologna, Rome, and Venice in the 1520s. Minor wear to the binding, with small losses to the leather, at the upper corners and a small patch along the upper... Read More
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Cortile of the Palazzo Farnese
by ROME. ARCHITECTURE. Antonio da Sangallo the Younger (1484-1536), Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), architects
Rome: Nicoli van Aelst, Roma formis, “1560”, but ca. 1585-, 1612. THIRD STATE, of FOUR. The first state had no explanatory text. The second, with the text and “Formis Antoni Lafrerij Sequani MDLX”. In this third state, the Lafréry address has been erased, though the date “MDLX” has been preserved, and Nicolas van Aeslt’s publishing information has been engraved at the lower left. A fourth state, described by Rubach (n. 376), has Gio. Battista de Rossi’s address (in place... Read More
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PASQUINO
by ROME. ANTIQUITY. RENAISSANCE. Enea Vico (1523-1567), Nicolas Beatrizet (1507-1565), attributed artists. Antonio Lafreri (1512-1577), publisher
Rome: Antonio Lafreri, 1550. Hardcover. Fine. First state. With Lafreri's excudit: "Ant. LafrerI FormIs Romae MDL" at lower right. Watermark "Duck in a Circle"(cf. Woodward 79-80). A fine impression, rich in tone, with light marginal foxing and light soiling, particularly in the lower right corner, and some trivial surface soiling to the image. An iconic image of the statue known as Pasquino, by far the most famous of Rome's 'statue parlanti' (talking statues) and the eponymous originator of... Read More
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