Grapaldi, De partibus aedium, Parma, 1506, old limp vellum wrapper

Grapaldi, Francesco Mario. Francisci Marii Grapaldi De partibus aedium cum additamentis quod vides opusculum formis excussum est ea fide eaque diligentia ab ipsius vero emaculatissimo & hactenus non impresso idiographo: ut offendiculum non invenias eme incontinenter & lege pensiculatius multiiuga eruditione rerum varietate concinna id etiam (mihi crede) relecturus atque voluptatem inde non parvam utilitatem vero incredibilem recepturus id quod plerique omnes & verissimum ipsa lectione liquido cognoscent & relectione procul dubio fateri ac demum aliis asseve rater praedicare cogentur. Vale. (Parma: Francesco Ugoleto, 10 May 1506)

The third edition of Grapaldi's encyclopaedic work on the rooms and contents of a large house or palazzo, providing information about function and terminology rather than construction. There are many quotes from classical authors of relevant works such as Pliny, Varro and Vitruvius. The library is discussed in book two, chapter nine.

The flyleaves are two imperfect leaves, most likely from a Psalter, containing part of the ferial Canticles, in Latin [Italy, 12th century]; one leaf comprises the end of the 'Benedicte', the Canticle of the Three Hebrew Boys ('Benedictus noctes et dies... superexaltatus in secula': Daniel 3:71-88, 56), and the start of the 'Benedictus', the Canticle of Zachariah ('Benedictus dominus deus Israel quia visitavit et fecit re': Luke 1:68); the other has part of the 'Audite celi', the Canticle of Moses ('et sanguine uve ... Et ardebit usque ad': Deuteronomy 32:14-22). The text, however, is not the Vulgate, but the pre-Vulgate Vetus Latina text of the Bible, which is less common.

4to (195 x 140 mm). Roman type, 35 lines plus headline. collation: A-B⁸ a-s⁸ t⁴: 164 leaves (last leaf blank). Woodcut initials, i2 with a small area of paper pasted to margin.

binding: Early limp vellum (203 x 150 mm), a temporary reused wrapper with early manuscript lettering on upper cover, two pairs of alum-tawed ties and alum-tawed straps (visible on spine) fixing the sewing supports to the cover, matching lettering along head and foot of textblock, two imperfect vellum manuscript leaves used as flyleaves (Italy, 12th century; see above for details), one front and one rear. (Binding slightly soiled and creased, ties defective.)

provenance: Purchase inscription dated 4 August 1516, price 4 grossi, at head of title-page; inscription at end, "Nicolai Lauri de Captamicis" (i.e. Niccolò Cattamici of Cortona? He also owned a 1475 Augustine, De civitate Dei) — acquired in 1928 by the Lawes Agricultural Library, Rothamsted Experimental Station, sale, Forum Auctions, London, 10 July 2018, lot 20. acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. references: Edit16 21594; Fowler 143