Berni, Capitolo del gioco della primiera, Venice, 1534 [and other works], late sixteenth-century Roman red morocco gilt, the Duca di Sora copy

5 works in one volume, 8vo (141 x 95 mm). (1) Italic and roman type. collation: A-E⁸: 40 leaves. Title-page and verso of final leaf with woodcut device, woodcut initial on A5r. (2) Italic type. collation: A-I⁸: 72 leaves. Title-page with woodcut author portrait, woodcut initials. (3) collation: A-E⁴: 20 leaves. Title-page with woodcut device, repeated on errata leaf at end, some passages underlined or annotated in the margins in an early modern hand. (4) collation: A-F⁸: 48 leaves. Title-page with woodcut device, woodcut initials and printer's ornament. (5) A-C⁸: 24 leaves. Woodcut initials. (Text leaves of fourth work browned, some marginal dampstaining throughout, closely trimmed.)

binding: Roman early baroque binding (147 x 104 mm), red morocco richly gilt tooled, frame of chain links between 2 fillets, inner frame formed by single gilt fillet, containing 12 swirling forms formed by single gilt fillet, containing either a sphynx or azured leaved composed to form a loose figure eight with an oval at its centre containing marguerites and azured leaves, with winged herms at the sides and gaufulons above and below, in the interstices azured leaves, marguerites, circles, and winged herms, spine with 3 bands, compartments with gilt double circles, leaf and small double circle emanating from inner circle, edges gilt and gauffered. (Spine ends neatly repaired.)

provenance: Giacomo Boncompagni (1548-1612), duca di Sora, ink stamp of his coat of arms to title of first work (for the same stamp, cf. Bibliotheca Brookeriana Part V, 10 December 2024, lot 1022) and his shelfmark on opposite leaf—Charles Fairfax Murray (1849-1919), listed in Catalogo dei libri posseduti da Charles Fairfax Murray. Parte prima (London [i.e. Rome] 1899), no. 219, and A list of printed books in the library of Charles Fairfax Murray ([London?] 1907), p. 44—his sale, Sotheby's, London, 17-20 July 1922, lot 937, £10 10s to Heinrich Eisemann, London. acquisition: Purchased in 1991 from Librairie Sourget, 1991. references: (1) USTC 814124; Edit16 CNCE 5530; (2) USTC 837287; Edit16 CNCE 24122; (3) USTC 827057; Edit16 CNCE 17326; (4) USTC 848313; Edit16 CNCE 37664; (5) USTC 855680; Edit16 CNCE 27767; Catalogo dei libri posseduti da Charles Fairfax Murray. Parte prima (London [i.e. Rome], 1899), item 219 (only first item catalogued); A list of printed books in the library of Charles Fairfax Murray ([?London], 1907), p. 44 (only first item catalogued)