Marliani, Antiquae Romae topographia libi septem, Rome, 1534, contemporary Italian morocco

Marliani, Bartolomeo. Io. Bartholomei Marliani patricii Mediolanen. Antiquae Romae topographia libri septem. (Rome: Antonio Blado, 31 May 1534)

First edition of Marliani's guidebook to Ancient Rome, arranged geographically after a chronological introduction, and predominantly based on classical sources. The small format indicates a pocketbook, though later illustrated editions were printed in a larger format (see lot 565).

8vo (153 x 97 mm). Italic type, 28 lines plus headline. collation: AA-BB⁸ A-X⁸ Y⁴: 188 leaves. Woodcut arms of Cardinal Giovanni Domenico de Cupis on title-page, woodcut initials, woodcut printer's device on Y3. (Some quires towards end lightly browned, black ink stamp on title-page.)

binding: Contemporary Italian (Roman?) brown morocco (159 x 107 mm), tooled in blind, edges stained (perhaps purple, now faded), stubs from two pairs of ties. (Ends of spine chipped, binding slightly rubbed.)

provenance: Giannalisa Feltrinelli (1903-1981), embossed stamp on title and bookplate, sale, Christie's, 2 June 1998, lot 1575. acquisition: Purchased in 1999 from Sokol Books, London. references: Edit16 24031; Rossetti 6664