Details
PLATINA, Bartholomaeus (1421-81). Vitae pontificum. [Venice]: Johannes de Colonia and Johannes Manthen, 11 June 1479.
Chancery 2° (291 x 201mm). Collation: a10 b-o8 p6 q-y8 z10 &8 aa-cc8 ff 6 (a1r blank, a1v letter to the author by Squarzifacius, register, a2r text, ff6r colophon, ff6v blank). 240 leaves, bifolium d4.5 supplied from another (shorter) copy. 39 lines. Type: 8:109R3, 110 Greek on 22v. 3- to 6-line initials in red or blue with contrasting penwork decoration, MS. foliation in red, some printed guide-letters in first 2 quires. (Light spotting, occasional light dampstain at hinge, ff1.6 rehinged, final leaf mounted and with loss of blank corner.) 18th-century vellum, flat spine with lettering-piece. Provenance: occasional contemporary marginal annotations; Consul Joseph Smith (1682-1770, engraved bookplate as Consul); Richard Heber (stamp, two copies in his sale, Sotheby's, June 1834, lots 4956-7); Matthew Robson, Monkwearmouth (booklabel).
FIRST EDITION of Platina's great history of the lives of the Popes, published during his own lifetime. The present volume was formerly owned by JOSEPH SMITH, CONSUL AT VENICE in 1744-60 and 1766. Consul Smith was a keen of books and amassed several libraires, one of which (the books listed in his Bibliotheca Smithiana 1755) was purchased by George III in 1762; most of these books were transferred in 1828 to form the core of the British Museum Library. The present volume, with its bookplate designed by Visentini naming Smith as Consul, almost certainly dates from Consul Smith's second great library. BMC V, 235 (IB. 20355-6); CIBN P-443; HC *13045; Polain(B) 3186; Goff P-768.
Chancery 2° (291 x 201mm). Collation: a10 b-o8 p6 q-y8 z10 &8 aa-cc8 ff 6 (a1r blank, a1v letter to the author by Squarzifacius, register, a2r text, ff6r colophon, ff6v blank). 240 leaves, bifolium d4.5 supplied from another (shorter) copy. 39 lines. Type: 8:109R3, 110 Greek on 22v. 3- to 6-line initials in red or blue with contrasting penwork decoration, MS. foliation in red, some printed guide-letters in first 2 quires. (Light spotting, occasional light dampstain at hinge, ff1.6 rehinged, final leaf mounted and with loss of blank corner.) 18th-century vellum, flat spine with lettering-piece. Provenance: occasional contemporary marginal annotations; Consul Joseph Smith (1682-1770, engraved bookplate as Consul); Richard Heber (stamp, two copies in his sale, Sotheby's, June 1834, lots 4956-7); Matthew Robson, Monkwearmouth (booklabel).
FIRST EDITION of Platina's great history of the lives of the Popes, published during his own lifetime. The present volume was formerly owned by JOSEPH SMITH, CONSUL AT VENICE in 1744-60 and 1766. Consul Smith was a keen of books and amassed several libraires, one of which (the books listed in his Bibliotheca Smithiana 1755) was purchased by George III in 1762; most of these books were transferred in 1828 to form the core of the British Museum Library. The present volume, with its bookplate designed by Visentini naming Smith as Consul, almost certainly dates from Consul Smith's second great library. BMC V, 235 (IB. 20355-6); CIBN P-443; HC *13045; Polain(B) 3186; Goff P-768.