- 328
Statuta communitatis Bergomi
Estimate
5,000 - 7,000 GBP
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Description
- Brescia: Angelus and Jacobus Britannicus, 18 December 1491
- Paper
Chancery folio (300 x 200mm.), 227 leaves (of 228, without blank leaf *1), (1-6)12 *4 a-c8 d-i6 k-z & [us] [rum] aa-ff6 gg8 hh6, errata and table of rubrics bound at end, 44 lines plus headline, roman type, some annotations (washed), eighteenth-century Italian calf, occasional light staining, a few marginal wormholes at end, binding somewhat rubbed and scraped
Provenance
Conte Maffeo Pinelli (1736-1785), sale, Edwards, 1789, lot 6011; Michael Wodhull, notes and inscription on flyleaf dated 13 April 1789, 2s-6d, and notes with the date Dec. 22 1805 written at end of volume, his sale, Sotheby's, 13 January 1886, lot 361, 19s, quoting some of Wodhull's notes on the contents; William O'Brien, bequest booklabel dated 1899
Literature
Goff S706; HC 14996; BMC vii 976; Bod-inc S-301; GW M43668; Grosjean & O'Connell 105
Condition
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."
"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."
Catalogue Note
This is the only incunabular edition of the statutes of the town of Brescia; although it was part of the Venetian terrafirma, it kept its own municipal regulations. The statutes contain not just information about criminal offences but also details on local guilds and even municipal trumpeters. Wodhull's comments on the statutes are as follows: "Repeated mention of Torture, cutting out of Tongues & amputation of Hands & Feet give a disgustful appearance to these Laws which too much resemble those of Draco...".
Jacobus Britannicus began his printing career in Venice in 1483, and by 1485 he was established in Brescia. He worked with his brother Angelus from 1491 until Jacobus's death in 1506.