MANUZIO, Paolo

MANUZIO, Paolo Epistolarum Pauli Manutii Libri 10. Duobus nuper additis eiusdem quae Praefationes appellantur

Venice in Aedib., Manutianis, 1571

£1,950.00

8vo. 3 parts in one. pp. [xvi], 469, [iii]; 67, [v]; 139, [xiii]. [A-2G8, 2H4; a-d8 e4; A-I8 K4.] Preface in Roman letter, text in Italic. Large woodcut Aldine anchor & dolphin device with legend ‘Aldus Iunior’ on 1st and 2nd titles and at end of first two parts, Aldine woodcut device (without ‘Aldus Iunior’) at the end of third part, miniature woodcut portrait of Aldus Manutius the Elder, within architectural border, on verso of first and second titles, early ownership inscription on 1st title “Michaelii Pasini” 1628, 1632, several others crossed out, occasional marginal notes and underlinings, notes in probably Pasini’s hand on verso of last leaf. Light age yellowing, two quires lightly browned, some marginal spots and thumb marks, occasional minor, mostly marginal, light waterstaning, a little short at head A good copy in quarter speckled sheep over marbled boards c. 1700, spine with blind ruled raised bands, small fleurons gilt at centres of compartments, tan morocco title label gilt lettered, all edges sprinkled red, worn a head, a few small worm holes in lower compartment.

A collection of the celebrated Latin epistles in Ciceronian style by the Venetian scholar – printer Paolo Manuzio (1512-74), third son of Aldo the Elder (1449-1515), founder of the famous Aldine press. The letters, dated between 1558 and 1570, were edited and printed by Paolo’s eldest son Aldo the Younger (with his unusual ‘Aldus Junior’ device, Ahmanson-Murphy A22a) who had succeeded to the family business in 1561, when his father left for Rome to manage the Tipografia del Popolo Romano for Pope Pius IV. Aldo the Younger was a professor of literature who wrote a treatise on Latin spelling. The 3rd part contains Paolo Manuzio’s dedicatory prefaces to his redactions of the classics. Indexes at the end of the volume list the names of the 124 recipients of the letters, and the names of the 28 dedicatees of the prefaces. The circular woodcut portrait of his father, Aldus Manutius the Elder is surrounded with the legend : Aldus Pius Manutius R.; the architectural border comprises the Aldine arms and motto ‘Insigne Manutianum’.

Complete as called for in the final register. Some copies however are found with the 27 pages of book XI, which were printed as a supplement to this edition and which are found bound in some copies, (see a long explanatory note in Renouard). This eleventh part was then printed as an integral part of the 1573 edition.

Renouard 212-213, no 7. USTC 840490. Adams. M 489.
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