Vita Di Piero Soderini.
Padua, G. Manfrè for the Seminary Press 1737.
LARGE-PAPER FOLIO (416 x 276 mm.). [xxviii], 312, [2]p. EIGHT FULL-PAGE ENGRAVINGS — half-title, title, colophon, a full-page ornament, a mythological scene, the Soderini coat of arms and portraits of Piero and his Cardinal brother, Francesco. Engraved initials, head- and tailpieces; ALL TEXT AND ILLUSTRATED PAGES WITHIN ENGRAVED BORDERS, many incorporating the Soderini arms..
CONTEMPORARY ROMAN GILT CALF BY THE SALVIONI WORKSHOP WITH THE SODERINI ARMS embedded in the decor, outer border of a vine and foliage roll around a complex design of interlacing strapwork, lattice work, volutes, acanthus leaves, drawer handles, small blooms and acorns. Long stem flowers, stars, sphynxes, acanthus, palmettes, small blooms and dots frame the open central panel of mottled calf. Gilt trumpeting tritons in the spine compartments (rubbed), gilt red morocco label, pink speckled paper endleaves, all edges gilt.
Only Edition of this biography of the politician and diplomat, Piero Soderini (1451-1522), who ruled Florence between the Medici’s ouster in 1502 and their return in 1512. Justificatory correspondence and documents make up three-quarters of the volume. Roman patrician Antonfrancesco Soderini (1660-1743) financed the book and commissioned Roman artists to design and cut the plates (P. Pilaja after G. Odam). In good condition, pinholes visible in nearly all outer margins (two short marginal tears and a longer one into the printed area — all expertly repaired by NEDCC).
¶Bellini, La Storia della tipografia del Seminario 406 (4to issue, 26 cm.); Quilici, Legature antiche e di pregio 1131 (triton tool); Cavalli & Terlizzi, Legature di pregio in Angelica 42 (acorn, star and acanthus tools).
Price: $7,500.00