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ACOSTA, Cristoval. Trattato ... della historia, natura, et virtu delle droghe medicinali, et alteri semplici rarissimi, che vengono portati dalle Indie Orientali in Europa. Venice: Francisco Ziletti, 1585.
First edition in Italian. The properties of exotic plants such as cinnamon, black pepper, tamarind, the palm, nutmeg, cashew, camphor, saffron, mango and pineapple, are discussed in “a fluid and concise style,” and like the original Spanish edition (Burgos, 1578, see previous lot) are illustrated with blocks from the author's own accurate drawings. The final two cuts are of Indian elephants.
4to (238 x 176 mm). 47 woodcuts after the author, most full-page, woodcut initials. (Some pale marginal dampstaining in gatherings B-G, with some marginal repairs.) 17th-century vellum, later gilt-lettering on cover, later endpapers (old restoration to ends of spine, some wear at extremities). Provenance: Douglas Cockerell (1870-1945), English bookbinder (pencil signature on front free endpaper, probably his gilt-lettering added to binding). Adams A-121; BL/STC Italian p. 5; Durling 1066; Palau 1694; Pritzel 13; Sabin 114.
First edition in Italian. The properties of exotic plants such as cinnamon, black pepper, tamarind, the palm, nutmeg, cashew, camphor, saffron, mango and pineapple, are discussed in “a fluid and concise style,” and like the original Spanish edition (Burgos, 1578, see previous lot) are illustrated with blocks from the author's own accurate drawings. The final two cuts are of Indian elephants.
4to (238 x 176 mm). 47 woodcuts after the author, most full-page, woodcut initials. (Some pale marginal dampstaining in gatherings B-G, with some marginal repairs.) 17th-century vellum, later gilt-lettering on cover, later endpapers (old restoration to ends of spine, some wear at extremities). Provenance: Douglas Cockerell (1870-1945), English bookbinder (pencil signature on front free endpaper, probably his gilt-lettering added to binding). Adams A-121; BL/STC Italian p. 5; Durling 1066; Palau 1694; Pritzel 13; Sabin 114.