Egnazio, De exemplis, Paris, Ménier for Torresano, 1554, contemporary limp vellum

Egnazio, Giovanni Battista. Ioannis Baptistae Egnatii, viri doctissimi, De exemplis illustrium virorum venetae civitatis atque aliarum gentium, cum indice rerum notabilium. Paris: Maurice Ménier for Bernardino Torresano, 1554

First book published by Bernard Turrisan, the grandson of Andrea Torresano, and the father-in-law of Aldo. He used the Aldine device as his trademark on the title pages of his publications, and worked in Paris between 1554 and 1571. Most of the books published under his imprint were printed by Fédéric Morel.

12mo (118 x 82 mm). Roman and italic type, 28 lines plus headline. collation: ā⁸ ē⁸ a-z⁸ A-T⁸ (lacking T8 blank): 351 leaves. Woodcut Aldine device on title-page, decorated initials, ornaments. (Title with internal hole, occasional minor dampstains, small open marginal tear to h2 and C2.)

binding: Contemporary limp vellum, traces of two pairs of ties, title in ink on spine and tail-edge. (Overall worn, head of spine and upper hinge damaged with some loss.)

provenance: Early inscription on title-page — Richard Ashhurst Bowie (1836-1887) — Mary Bryant Pratt Brandegee (Mrs. Edward Deshon, 1871-1956), bookplate commemorating her gift in 1908 to Harvard College in memory of her father, William Fletcher Weld (1800-1881), a Harvard benefactor — Harvard College Library, Cambridge, MA, pressure stamp; release stamp to title recto and verso respectively — Swann Galleries New York, 21 September 1972, lot 146. acquisition: Purchased at Swann via Lathrop C. Harper. references: UCLA 1043; Renouard 295/1; FB 69103; USTC 151459