Diploma from the University of Bologna, manuscript on vellum, 22 July 1569, brown morocco gilt by the Pflug & Ebeleben Binder for Gian Paolo Battaglia

4to (232 x 155 mm). 5 numbered vellum leaves of text, written in a fine Italianate humanist book hand, 24 lines to a page, dark brown and gold ink, often with silver capitals, first page of text headed by arms of Gian Paolo Battaglia of Ragusa, Sicily with painted arms on covers, azure, 3 etoiles or en chef, sur tertre vert, cheval blanc & lion or dansant in a gold cartouche with fleshy acanthus leaves and floral finals, gilt lettered invocation "In Christi Nomine Amen" in large Capitalis Quadrata, with 2 large gilt humanist initials on red and blue backgrounds with golden filigree work, with contemporary attestation of the degree on f. 9 r and v by Antonio Maria de Federico, notary to the archbishop of Bologna, accompanied by notarial sign MF, 1 additional blank leaf. (Slight yellowing, occasional light marginal soiling, small wormhole to blank lower margin.)

binding: Contemporary Bolognese brown morocco (240 x 165 mm) by the Pflug & Ebeleben binder, richly gold-tooled covers surrounding painted arms of Battaglia in central lozenge surrounded by gilt lettering "IOANNES PAVLVS BATTA- GLIA", narrow spine with 3 full and 4 half bands, gilt tooling in compartments, traces of 4 pairs of green fabric ties, hole at lower corner towards spine for seal, edges gilt, leather box. (Binding slightly rubbed at extremities, wormed endpapers, ties lacking.)

provenance: Gian Paolo Battaglia of Ragusa, Sicily (fl. 1569?). acquisition: Purchased in 2002 from Librairie Thomas-Scheler, Paris.