LIVY, HISTORIAE ROMANAE DECADES, VENICE, 1495, MODERN VELLUM

Median folio (323 x 222mm.), 274 leaves (foliated I-CCLIII in print on leaves c1-ii8), A8 a8 b4; c-l8 m-n10; [2]A8 B-K8 L10; aa-ii8, 60 lines, roman type, woodcut architectural border, large vignette and initials at the beginning of the First, Third and Fourth Decades, woodcut initials (7-9 lines) and 171 small vignettes throughout, publisher’s device (device C) in red on leaf ii7 verso, extensive marginal annotations by at least three hands, one writing in a contemporary humanistic cursive, and two in sixteenth-century italic cursive, manuscript index of the First Decade drawn by the late fifteenth-century humanistic cursive hand on leaf ii8 recto, modern vellum, occasional light staining, traces of a small burn in the inner margin of leaves k5-k6

Unidentified coat-of-arms (a bar/ladder and the initial "F") sketched in grey ink in the border on leaf c1 recto; "Saporosus Massiuccius Firmanus Sanctis georgii et sancti vangeli / Marchio 1763" on leaf A1 recto

ISTC il00247000

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."

The large vignettes at the beginning of the First, Third and Fourth Decades (leaves c1 recto, [2]A1 recto and aa1 recto) represent a battle scene, Hannibal’s Oath, and the reception of the Ambassador of Ptolemy VI at the Roman Senate respectively. The architectural border, which shows the figure of a scholar (Livy) at his desk inset in the tympanum, is the same for each opening of the three Decades and was formerly used in the Bible translated into Italian by Niccolò Malermi and printed in Venice by Giovanni Ragazzo for Lucantonio Giunta on 15 October 1490 (ISTC 1b00644000), whereas the small vignettes, many of which were signed "F", were already found in the Italian translation of Livy printed at Venice by Joannes Rubeus on 11 February 1493 for Lucantonio Giunta (ISTC il00255000).

The woodcut device on leaf ii7 verso, printed in red in the present copy, corresponds to device C of Lucantonio Giunta (see BMC v 493).