Homerus, Iliad, Venice, Aldo, 1504?, contemporary Venetian brown morocco alla greca

Homer. Omerou Ilias. Homeri Ilias [Greek and Latin]. [Venice: Aldo Manuzio, after 31 October 1504]

First Aldine edition of Homer's Iliad, bound with the seven preliminary quires on Homer’s life by Herodotus and Plutarch (more commonly found with the Odyssey) in a contemporary Venetian alla greca binding.

Volume 1 (of 2) only, 8vo (167 x 101 mm). Greek types, 30 lines plus headline. collation: (vol. 1): 1-7⁸ ; A-Z⁸ AA-LL⁸ MM⁶: 334 leaves (including preliminary quires 1-7 more commonly bound with vol. 2, Odyssey; MM6 blank). Woodcut Aldine device on title-page (A1r), 2- and 6-line initial spaces with guide letters. (Some faint dampstaining to upper margin and, occasionally to lower fore-edge corners.)

binding: Contemporary Venetian brown goatskin over grooved wooden boards (172 x 114 mm) in alla greca style (but sewn in Western manner), covers paneled in blind with gilt arabesque roll within the frame formed by blind fillets, central compartment with large gilt arabesque with Persian leaf finials and leaf tools at corners and sides, arabesque and leaf tools at outer border, two braided double-thong leather clasps catching on lower cover, plain endpapers, blue edges painted with polychrome foliate design. (Rebacked with some obvious [i.e., not deceptive] retooling, very minor repair to corners, one clasp broken.)

provenance: Stefano Bricarelli — Tammaro De Marinis, La Legatura artistica in Italia nei secoli XV e XVI (Florence 1960), no. 2746 ("Torino, avv. Stefano Bricarelli") — not traced in Witten catalogues [his last three catalogues, 17-19 (1982-1984) on mss and vernacular texts]. acquisition: Purchased from Laurence Witten, Southport, 1984. references: UCLA 86; Adams H741; Aldus Manuzio tipografo 88*; Edit16 22945; Grolier/Adus 41; Renouard 46/6; USTC 835811