![SALVIANI, Ippolito (1514-1572). Aquatilium animalium historiae, liber primus. Rome: Ippolito Salviani, 1554 [but colophon: January 1558].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2013/NYR/2013_NYR_02706_0310_000(salviani_ippolito_aquatilium_animalium_historiae_liber_primus_rome_ipp111828).jpg?w=1)
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SALVIANI, Ippolito (1514-1572). Aquatilium animalium historiae, liber primus. Rome: Ippolito Salviani, 1554 [but colophon: January 1558].
2o (405 x 279 mm). Engraved title with portrait of Salviani surrounded by marine emblems grouped in an architectural border, above the title the coat-of-arms of Marcello Cervini. Signatures A-G printed in italic and Greek letter in tabular form, main text in roman interspersed with italic and Greek. 81 full-page engraved illustrations attributed by Brunet to Antonio Lafréri, containing a total of 98 numbered figures. Woodcut initials and type ornaments, Salviani's Hercules device on II8v. (Some minor spotting.). Contemporary Italian purple dyed vellum over boards, later gilt tooled smooth calf back-strip pasted over the vellum with gilt lettered morocco label. Provenance: Harvard College Library, from the collection of Philip Hofer, duplicate released to A. Vershbow (bookplate and duplicate release note signed by Hofer).
FIRST EDITION, of a classic work on ichthyology and one of the earliest examples of the use of engravings for scientific illustration. The death of Salviani's patron, Marcello Cervini, in 1555, must have added to the delays which meant that printing was not first completed until 1557, despite the 1554 date on the title-page. 36 of the illustrations are printed as plates with versos blank; those on O8v, R2r, and AA8v are with letterpress cancel slips pasted over engraved captions. Mortimer notes that "the plates show traces of signature marks and numberings from an earlier, uncompleted edition or an earlier arrangement within this edition." There is an earlier issue with colophon dated October 1557, and Brunet believed that the first issue was actually published without a colophon leaf. Although the work was eventually dedicated to Pope Paul IV, in most copies Cervini's arms are retained in the cartouche. Adams S-190; Brunet V:101; Graesse VI, p. 253; Mortimer Italian 454; Nissen ZBI 3555; Wood p. 549 (calling for 83 plates).
2o (405 x 279 mm). Engraved title with portrait of Salviani surrounded by marine emblems grouped in an architectural border, above the title the coat-of-arms of Marcello Cervini. Signatures A-G printed in italic and Greek letter in tabular form, main text in roman interspersed with italic and Greek. 81 full-page engraved illustrations attributed by Brunet to Antonio Lafréri, containing a total of 98 numbered figures. Woodcut initials and type ornaments, Salviani's Hercules device on II8v. (Some minor spotting.). Contemporary Italian purple dyed vellum over boards, later gilt tooled smooth calf back-strip pasted over the vellum with gilt lettered morocco label. Provenance: Harvard College Library, from the collection of Philip Hofer, duplicate released to A. Vershbow (bookplate and duplicate release note signed by Hofer).
FIRST EDITION, of a classic work on ichthyology and one of the earliest examples of the use of engravings for scientific illustration. The death of Salviani's patron, Marcello Cervini, in 1555, must have added to the delays which meant that printing was not first completed until 1557, despite the 1554 date on the title-page. 36 of the illustrations are printed as plates with versos blank; those on O8v, R2r, and AA8v are with letterpress cancel slips pasted over engraved captions. Mortimer notes that "the plates show traces of signature marks and numberings from an earlier, uncompleted edition or an earlier arrangement within this edition." There is an earlier issue with colophon dated October 1557, and Brunet believed that the first issue was actually published without a colophon leaf. Although the work was eventually dedicated to Pope Paul IV, in most copies Cervini's arms are retained in the cartouche. Adams S-190; Brunet V:101; Graesse VI, p. 253; Mortimer Italian 454; Nissen ZBI 3555; Wood p. 549 (calling for 83 plates).