Bibliotheca Pinelliana. A Catalogue of the Magnificent and Celebrated Library of Maffei Pinelli, Late of Venice, comprehending an unparalleled Collection of the Greek, Roman, and Italian Authors, from the Origin of Printing: With many of the Earliest Editions printed upon Vellum, and finely illuminated; a considerable Number of curious Greek and Latin Manuscripts of the XI. XII. XIII. XIV, XV. and XVI. Centuries...the whole Library...will be Sold by Auction, on Monday March 2, 1789, and the Twenty-two [&] Thirty-six following Days..

xxviii, 538 pp. 8vo, early 19th-cent. half-calf & patterned cloth sides, flat spine gilt, red morocco lettering piece on spine. London: [Robson, Clarke, & Edwards, 1789]. In 1788, the London booksellers James Edwards (1757-1816), and James Robson (1733-1806), bought in Venice for 6000 pounds the celebrated Pinelli library of which the excellent inventory catalogue by the custodian of the Bibliotheca Marciana, Jacopo Morelli, had appeared the previous year. They put it up for sale by means of the above catalogue, a shortened translation and adaptation of Morelli's, by Samuel Paterson (1728-1802), another London bookseller and auctioneer. Although it was not a great success financially, the sale, which brought in 8,637 pounds 10s, was the first auction of foreign books on a large scale to be held in London and put that city on the map as an international center for book auctions. Fine copy with the bookplates of the Duke of Bedford, the Grolier Club (sold as a duplicate in January 1972), and A.R.A Hobson. 12,859 lots. The very rare Appendix of 1790 is not present. ❧ De Ricci, p. 89. Peignot, p. 118n. Pollard & Ehrman, p. 204 & no. 260. Taylor, Book Catalogues, p. 256. (Inventory #: 5114)