Doni, La libraria, Venice, 1558, contemporary vellum gilt

DONI, ANTON FRANCESCO

La libraria... diviso in tre trattati. Venice: Gabriel Giolito de' Ferrari, 1558

8vo (144 x 97mm.), woodcut printer's device on title-page, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces, woodcut portraits, contemporary limp vellum gilt, covers with arabesque centrepiece and the initials S B, flat spine gilt with manuscript title, gilt edges

THE FIRST PRINTED BOOK ABOUT BOOKS, a fascinating bibliographical work listing contemporary Italian authors and their works, first published in 1550. The first part lists printed books, the second part manuscript works, and the third part lists Italian academies. However, this work is not without its problematic aspects as it does not aspire to either completeness or accuracy and includes some spurious entries. It is interesting to consider that this was produced around the same time as the Index of Prohibited Books.

LITERATURE:

Edit16 17702

PROVENANCE:

Antonio Orsetti, inscription on flyleaf