Details
LORINI, Buonaiuto. Delle Fortificationi... Libri Cinque. Venice: Giovanni Antonio Rampazetto, 1596.
2° (350 x 250mm). Collation: Title; inserted dedication leaf (signed A2); a4 A4 B2 C8 D2 E6 F2 G2 H8 I6 K4 L-R8 S10 (S10 blank). Copper-engraved title vignette and portrait of the author, numerous woodcut illustrations, some full- or double-page. Contemporary limp vellum gilt, covers panelled, the central panels with large elaborate central oval arabesque composed from various small tools and similar cornerpieces, flat-backed spine in five panels, g.e. (ties lacking, inner hinges split), modern cloth box.
Provenance: Archduke Rudolph II of Austria, Holy Roman Emperor (1552-1612, presentation copy); Library of the Archdukes of Austria (inscribed twice on title: "Bibliotheca Archid. Ferdinandi" and Biblioth. Archid. Ferdin.").
VERY RARE, FIRST EDITION, PRINTED FOR PRESENTATION TO THE EMPEROR RUDOLPH II. "It is of the greatest rarity, very few copies having been printed, and these for presentation to certain Christian princes only, each having a special Dedicatory Epistle" (Cockle). Other recipients of Lorini's work included Granduke Ferdinand of Tuscany (similarly bound, and now in a private collection in London); Ranuccio Farnese, Duke of Palma (similarly bound, New York Public Library); Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara (slightly later binding, now in the Newberry Library, Chicago); Vincenzo Gonzaga (morocco binding, British Library) and the 'Signoria di Venezia' (morocco bound copy, appeared on the English market in 1961).
Rudolph II became Holy Roman Emperor in 1576, abdicated in 1611 and was succeeded by Matthias, who died in 1619. Matthias was succeeded by Ferdinand II (d.1637), followed by his son Ferdinand III (d.1657). Both Ferdinands were Archdukes of Austria before being elected Holy Roman Emperors. Lorini was originally from Florence, but gained a wide reputation as a designer and builder of fortifications and carried out work for the Kings of France and Spain as well as the Republic of Venice. Delle fortificazioni is his main work; a public edition with a variant title and a dedication dated 5 June was published in 1597. The work was reprinted with a supplemental sixth part in 1609. A German translation appeared in the same year. Cockle 791.
2° (350 x 250mm). Collation: Title; inserted dedication leaf (signed A2); a4 A4 B2 C8 D2 E6 F2 G2 H8 I6 K4 L-R8 S10 (S10 blank). Copper-engraved title vignette and portrait of the author, numerous woodcut illustrations, some full- or double-page. Contemporary limp vellum gilt, covers panelled, the central panels with large elaborate central oval arabesque composed from various small tools and similar cornerpieces, flat-backed spine in five panels, g.e. (ties lacking, inner hinges split), modern cloth box.
Provenance: Archduke Rudolph II of Austria, Holy Roman Emperor (1552-1612, presentation copy); Library of the Archdukes of Austria (inscribed twice on title: "Bibliotheca Archid. Ferdinandi" and Biblioth. Archid. Ferdin.").
VERY RARE, FIRST EDITION, PRINTED FOR PRESENTATION TO THE EMPEROR RUDOLPH II. "It is of the greatest rarity, very few copies having been printed, and these for presentation to certain Christian princes only, each having a special Dedicatory Epistle" (Cockle). Other recipients of Lorini's work included Granduke Ferdinand of Tuscany (similarly bound, and now in a private collection in London); Ranuccio Farnese, Duke of Palma (similarly bound, New York Public Library); Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara (slightly later binding, now in the Newberry Library, Chicago); Vincenzo Gonzaga (morocco binding, British Library) and the 'Signoria di Venezia' (morocco bound copy, appeared on the English market in 1961).
Rudolph II became Holy Roman Emperor in 1576, abdicated in 1611 and was succeeded by Matthias, who died in 1619. Matthias was succeeded by Ferdinand II (d.1637), followed by his son Ferdinand III (d.1657). Both Ferdinands were Archdukes of Austria before being elected Holy Roman Emperors. Lorini was originally from Florence, but gained a wide reputation as a designer and builder of fortifications and carried out work for the Kings of France and Spain as well as the Republic of Venice. Delle fortificazioni is his main work; a public edition with a variant title and a dedication dated 5 June was published in 1597. The work was reprinted with a supplemental sixth part in 1609. A German translation appeared in the same year. Cockle 791.