Caro, De le lettere, Venice, Aldus, 1574-1575, contemporary limp vellum

Caro, Annibale De le lettere familiari del commendatore Annibal Caro volume primo (-secondo). Venice: Aldo Manuzio, 1574- 1575

Paolo Manuzio is among the recipients of Caro's letters, along with Apollonio Filareto, Benedetto Varchi, Claudio Tolomei, Fulvio Orsini and Giorgio Vasari.

2 volumes in one, 4to (197 x 140 mm). Italic type, 27 lines plus headline. collation: (⁴ +² A-Z⁴ Aa-Oo⁴; +⁶ Aa-Zz⁴ Aaa-Zzz⁴ Aaaa-Iiii⁴ Kkkk²: 154 & 228 leaves (index bound at end of first part; index leaves +3-4 in volume 2 misbound at end). Woodcut Aldine device on title-pages, woodcut initials. (Small tear at lower corner of Pp1.)

binding: Near-contemporary limp vellum with fore-edge flaps (205 x 160 mm), two pairs of alum-tawed ties. (Binding slightly soiled, a few ties defective.)

provenance: Sir George Shirley, of Ettington and Astwell, Northamptonshire (1559-1622), inscription on title-page — [by family descent to] Washington Sewallis Shirley, 9th Earl Ferrers (1822-1859), two armorial bookplates (one loose) — Christie, Manson & Woods, London, 28-29 July 1971, lot 179. acquisition: Purchased from Maggs Bros, London, 1997. references: UCLA 868 & 873; Edit16 9652; Renouard 218/7 & 220/15