Page 74 - Swann Galleries - Aldine Imprints & Early Printed Books - Sale 2291 - October 23, 2012

115
THEOCRITUS; et al.
[
Idyllia]
[
and other texts]. Greek text, edited by
Aldus Manutius. Woodcut decorated initials and floral or strapwork headpieces,
ILLUMINATED THROUGHOUT IN COLORS AND GOLD IN A CONTEMPORARY HAND
.
[140]
leaves. Folio, 315x210 mm, early 18th-century mottled calf, spine in 7
compartments with citron morocco lettering piece in one and ornamental tool-
ing in the rest; title soiled, shaved along fore edge, extensive marginalia in Greek
and Latin; gilt edges, gauffered to all-over pattern of intersecting diagonal fillets
and fleurons. Bookplate of St. Benedict’s Abbey, Fort Augustus, Scotland.
(
Venice: Aldus Manutius, February 1495/96)
[40,000/60,000]
FIRST ALDINE AND FIRST COMPLETE EDITION OF THE IDYLLS OF THEOCRI
-
TUS
,
of which 12 appear here for the first time, also including the
FIRST EDITION
IN THE ORIGINAL GREEK
of Hesiod’s Theogony and Shield of Hercules and the
elegies of Theognis, as well as the second edition of 18 Theocritean Idylls and
Hesiod’s Works and Days, which were first printed in Milan circa 1480.
FIRST
STATE
of gatherings Z.F and [theta].G, with the text uncorrected. Renouard, page
5(3);
New UCLA 7; Hoffmann III, 473-74; HC 15477*; BMC V, 554-55;
Goff T144; ISTC it00144000.
HANDSOME COPY
,
WITH CONTEMPO
-
RARY HAND
-
COLORING
.