Cartari, Le imagini de i dei de gli antichi, Venice, 1580, contemporary Parisian vellum gilt

Cartari, Vincenzo. Le imagini de i dei de gli antichi nelle quali si contengono gl'idoli, riti, ceremonie, & altre cose appartenenti alla religione de gli antichi, raccolte dal sig. Vincenzo Cartari, con la loro espositione, et con bellissime et accomodate figure nuovamente stampate. Et con molta diligenza riviste e ricorrette. Venice: Francesco Ziletti, 1580

A reissue of the 1571 Giordano Ziletti edition (lot 478), by his nephew Francesco, using the same engravings by Zaltieri. The "lewd" engraving on Rr3 is still present, though the engraving on O3 contains a censorious ink blot.

The same wreath centrepiece can be seen on Davis Gift 109, attributed to the Ève bindery, and similar spine decoration appears on a 1586 Paris Psaultier illustrated in Yves Devaux, Dix siècles de reliure (1977), p.107.

4to (214 x 155 mm). Italic type, 29 lines plus headline. collation: a-c⁴ d⁶ A-Z⁴ Aa-Zz⁴ Aaa-Zzz⁴ Aaaa⁴: 248 leaves (final leaf blank). Woodcut printer's device on title-page, woodcut initials and headpieces, full-page engraved illustrations. (Occasional light offsetting, occasional light marginal foxing, ink stain on O2-3.)

binding: Contemporary Parisian smooth limp vellum (215 x 170 mm), gilt oval wreath centrepiece, double gilt fillet border, flat spine elaborately gilt with leafy sprays and the title in a small oval cartouche, foredge flaps, gilt edges, stubs from two pairs of ties, some deckle edges. (Binding slightly soiled.)

provenance: Library of a Theatine convent, old inscription at head of title-page – sale, Société SVV Bremens Belleville & S. Miraglia, Fond de Bibliothèque d’une ancienne institution religieuse et à divers; Livres anciens, Lyon, 16 November 2009, lot 55. acquisition: Purchased in 2011 from Librairie Sourget, Paris. references: Edit16 9759