SERLIO, ARCHITETTURA, VENICE, 1663, LATER HALF VELLUM, UNCUT

folio (c. 410 x 270mm.), parallel text in Latin and Italian, title-page within woodcut border, woodcut portrait of Serlio on verso of title-page and elsewhere, woodcut headpieces and initials, woodcut diagrams and illustrations, title-pages to books 3-6 within a woodcut border, replacement woodcuts printed on slips inserted before p.245 and p.333, engraved full-page illustrations in book 6, engraved printer's device above colophon, later half vellum over patterned paper boards, COMPLETELY UNCUT, Tt4 with small tear in gutter, some gatherings strengthened around folds, a few small marginal paper repairs, staining at foot towards end

BAL RIBA 2975

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This edition uses the woodblocks and etched plates from the sixteenth-century editions of Serlio, and indeed the portrait is now thought to be of Francesco Marcolini, the publisher of the early editions, rather than Serlio himself. The final engraving illustrates the Quadrato geometrico of the Vicenza mathematician Silvio Belli, a friend of Palladio. This edition uses a number of woodcut printer's devices as decorative features in the text.