Details
HORATIUS FLACCUS, Quintus (65-8 B.C.). Opera. Venice: Aldus Manutius, May 1501.
Aldine 8° (168 x 102 mm). Collation: a-s8. 144 leaves, the last blank. Italic type 1:80. 6- and 4-line spaces for initials. ILLUMINATED IN GOLD AND COLORS BY A SIXTEENTH-CENTURY ITALIAN ARTIST, first text page (a2r) with full border illumination comprising upper and outer borders of scrolling foliate and floral ornamentation in colors on gold ground, the inner border with arabesques in gold on blue ground, at center of the lower border an unidentified coat-of-arms flanked by putti perched on leafy scrolls; the opening pages of each book (c3r, d5v, f8v, h3v, k1r, l1r, n2v, o3r, and q5r) with a quarter border of swirling leafy and floral decoration in colors and gold (those on rectos slightly hidden in gutters), opening initial M in shaded white on a blue ground within delicate gold filigree infill, remaining initials in gold on colored grounds, the larger ones with filigree infill in white or gold, all initials within frames of yellow and brown shaded to resemble gold. (Lightly washed, leaving faint discoloration around initials and borders.) 18th-century brown morocco, covers panelled with double gilt fillet, flower and acorn tool at corners, spine gilt, original (16th-century) gilt and gauffred edges, vellum pastedown and free endleaves (chip at tail of spine, smaller chip at head, extremities slightly rubbed).
Provenance: unidentified coat of arms on a2r; illegible early inkstamp on verso of final blank.
FINELY ILLUMINATED COPY OF THE FIRST ALDINE EDITION. This was the second of the Aldine editions of the Latin classics published in the new pocket-sized octavo format and printed in Francesco Griffo's Italic type, following the Virgil printed a month earlier.
Adams H-854; Brunet III, 311; Renouard Alde 27.4.
Aldine 8° (168 x 102 mm). Collation: a-s8. 144 leaves, the last blank. Italic type 1:80. 6- and 4-line spaces for initials. ILLUMINATED IN GOLD AND COLORS BY A SIXTEENTH-CENTURY ITALIAN ARTIST, first text page (a2r) with full border illumination comprising upper and outer borders of scrolling foliate and floral ornamentation in colors on gold ground, the inner border with arabesques in gold on blue ground, at center of the lower border an unidentified coat-of-arms flanked by putti perched on leafy scrolls; the opening pages of each book (c3r, d5v, f8v, h3v, k1r, l1r, n2v, o3r, and q5r) with a quarter border of swirling leafy and floral decoration in colors and gold (those on rectos slightly hidden in gutters), opening initial M in shaded white on a blue ground within delicate gold filigree infill, remaining initials in gold on colored grounds, the larger ones with filigree infill in white or gold, all initials within frames of yellow and brown shaded to resemble gold. (Lightly washed, leaving faint discoloration around initials and borders.) 18th-century brown morocco, covers panelled with double gilt fillet, flower and acorn tool at corners, spine gilt, original (16th-century) gilt and gauffred edges, vellum pastedown and free endleaves (chip at tail of spine, smaller chip at head, extremities slightly rubbed).
Provenance: unidentified coat of arms on a2r; illegible early inkstamp on verso of final blank.
FINELY ILLUMINATED COPY OF THE FIRST ALDINE EDITION. This was the second of the Aldine editions of the Latin classics published in the new pocket-sized octavo format and printed in Francesco Griffo's Italic type, following the Virgil printed a month earlier.
Adams H-854; Brunet III, 311; Renouard Alde 27.4.