Appianus Alexandrinus, Delle guerre civili, Florence, Giunta, 1519, contemporary morocco gilt

Appianus Alexandrinus. Appiano Alessandrino Delle guerre civili de Romani. Tradotto da Messer Alexandro Braccese Fiorentino nuovamente con somma diligentia impresso. (Florence: heirs of Filippo Giunta, 1519)

A contemporary Italian binding with the Apollo and Pegasus plaquette added in the late nineteenth century, probably by Vittorio Villa (see Michel Wittock, "À propos des reliures, vraies ou frelatées, au médaillon d'Apollon et Pégase", Bulletin du bibliophile (1998), pp. 330-365). These forgeries were generally executed on bindings by the original binders of Apollo and Pegasus books for Giovanni Battista Grimaldi, such as Niccolò Franzese.

The translation is by Alessandro Braccio (or Braccese, 1445-1502).

8vo (165 x 100 mm). Italic type, 30 lines plus headline. collation: a-z⁸ &⁸ [con]⁸ [rum]⁸ A-K⁸: 288 leaves. Woodcut device on final verso (otherwise blank). (Some foxing and soiling, a few page edges frayed.)

binding: Contemporary Italian morocco gilt (175 x 106 mm), probably by Niccolò Franzese of Rome, covers with oval Apollo and Pegasus plaquette added in the nineteenth century, spine with blind ruling, plain edges, stubs from two pairs of ties. (Binding slightly rubbed with a few small wormholes, upper hinge broken.)

provenance: Dominic Winter, sale, Cirencester, 19-20 July 2017, lot 274. acquisition: Purchased from Sokol Books, London. references: Edit16 2193; Pettas, Giunta 128; Renouard XLIV/27; for the binding, Tradizione e attualità nella legatoria d'arte: Roma, Palazzo Braschi ([Rome, 1971]), p.15 (illustrated); Wittock, op. cit., Appendice II: Liste des fausses reliures au médaillon d'Apollon et Pégase" no. 4