Bonelli, Giorgio

FIRST EDITION, COLOURED ISSUE, 8 volumes, folio (550 x 380mm.), half-titles, titles printed in red and black with hand-coloured engraved vignettes, engraved portrait of Pope Clement XV, printed in blue, 4 engraved portraits of cardinals, double-page engraved “Prospectus horti romani”, printed in green, 800 hand-coloured engraved plates, most engraved by Maddelena Bouchard after C. Ubertini, contemporary half vellum, housed in 4 collector’s morocco-backed clamshell cases, some spotting, last text leaf of vol. 4 browned

Giannalisa Feltrinelli, sale, Christie’s 3 December 1997, lot 242

Great Flower Books, p.51; Dunthorne 45 (“well coloured with opaque colours, producing extremely decorative plates”); Hunt 629; Nissen BBI 200; Stafleu TL2 634

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A RARE WORK; ONLY ONE OTHER COMPLETE COPY (DE BELDER) HAS COME TO AUCTION (the Hunt, Library of Congress and British Library copies all lack one or more volumes). Bonelli, about whom little is known, contributed only a short text to volume one. The remaining volumes are by Liberato and Constantino Sabbati, edited by N. Martelli. The original prospectus announced 300 copies to be printed, of which only some were to be coloured. “It is not likely that this number was reached, certainly not for the later volumes (volumes 6–8 are very scarce)” (Stafleu).