Sabellicus's Decades rerum Venetarum

Sabellicus's Decades rerum Venetarum
Andreas Torresanus, 1487
SABELLICUS, Marcus Antonius (1436-1506). Decades rerum Venetarum. Venice: Andreas Torresanus de Asula, 21 May 1487.

First edition of Sabellicus’s history of Venice, a wide-margined copy of an elegant production. Modeled after the work of the Roman historian Livy, this work is an important source for the history of Venice, including a discussion of the early years of printing. The book is printed by Andreas Torresanus, Aldus’s father-in-law, with the types of Nicolas Jenson. "If the lover of fine and legible printing wishes for a specimen of one of the choicest productions of the XVth century, let him lose no opportunity of obtaining the present impression, when a reasonable hope of its possession is held out to him” (Dibdin). HC 14053*; BMC V 308, XII 22; BSB-Ink S-4; Bod-inc S-001; IGI 8487; Dibdin Spenceriana 770; Goff S-5; ISTC is00005000.

Super-royal folio (421 x 270mm). 240 leaves. Red and blue large and small initials and paragraph marks (last few leaves somewhat soiled with small repairs, final two leaves window-mounted, some light spotting, marginal repairs in first leaf). Modern blindstamped quarter calf over wooden boards (upper joint repaired, lower joint worn, spot of loss on spine). Provenance: occasional marginalia – Giorgio di Veroli (1890-1952, Italian financier and collector who fled to New York City during WWII; bookplate; his sale, Parke-Bernet, 28 February 1956, lot 760) – acquired there via Lucien Goldschmidt.