Bocchi, Symbolicae quaestiones, Bologna, 1555, contemporary Parisian vellum gilt, Schäfer-Vershbow copy

Bocchi, Achille. Achillis Bocchii Bonon. Symbolicarum quaestionum de universo genere quas serio ludebat libri quinque. Bologna: Nuova Accademia Bocchiana, 1555

First edition of Bocchi's self-published emblem book, containing copper engravings by Giulio Bonasone after designs by Prospero Fontana, and perhaps of Parmigianino. Sheet B is printed in its second (correct) setting.

The binding can plausibly be attributed to the Wotton Binder C; Davis Gift 51 uses the same spiralling tools with arabesque leaves and flowers (the most distinctive incorporates a four-petalled flower into the leaf), and the arrangement of the central panel is similar to the Wotton Agrippa (a folio volume, illustrated in Nixon, Twelve Books, plate 10).

4to (202 x 128 mm). Italic, Greek and roman type, 28 lines plus headline. collation: *⁴ π⁴ A-E⁴ χ² A-Z AA-II⁴ KK⁶ LL-VV⁴: 204 leaves. Woodcut illustration on χ1r, engraved illustrations including a portrait of the author, woodcut initials. Ruled in red throughout. (Occasional offsetting from engravings, small marginal tear in S2, small wormhole at head of quires Y-Z.)

binding: Contemporary Parisian vellum gilt (205 x 135 mm), covers with gilt arabesque decoration, flat spine similarly gilt, gilt-tooled foredge flaps, gilt edges, stubs from two pairs of ties. (Binding slightly rubbed, top edges of boards repaired.)

provenance: Le seigneur De graez Bailly de Caux, contemporary inscription on title-page and motto "Amy, d'une, Ennemy de nulle" — Demallendre, name on title-page — Librairie J. Techener, Description bibliographique des livres choisis en tous genres (Paris, 1855), volume 1, no. 1715 — Sir Charles Tennant (1823-1906), The Glen, armorial bookplate — Colin Tennant, 3rd Baron Glenconner (1926-2010), sale, Sotheby's, 1 July 1968, lot 4, £170, to Breslauer — Otto Schäfer of Schweinfurt, purchased in 1969 from Breslauer, sale, Sotheby's, New York, 8 December 1994, lot 33, $6,000 — Arthur and Charlotte Vershbow, sale, Christie's, New York, 10 April 2013, lot 124, $13,000. acquisition: Purchased at preceding sale. references: Edit16 6484; Landwehr, Romanic Emblem Books 162; Mortimer, Harvard Italian 76