Diploma from the University of Bologna, manuscript on vellum, 1608, Bolognese brown morocco gilt for Bernardo Maggi

4to (247 x 186 mm). 20 vellum leaves, calligraphed in a fine Italianate humanist book hand in brown and gold ink, all leaves surrounded by decorative frame encompassed by Greek and vegetal elements drawn in ink and painted in gold with brown shading, f. 1r title page “Privilegia/ Domini/ Bernardini Maggii/Lvganensis./ M.D.C.IIX” in an elegant gold cartouche surrounded by coat of arms at the top the arms of Lugano, at the bottom the arms of the Erba-Odescalchi family, flanked by four intriguing emblems to the left and right, all on a fuchsia drapery; f. 1r showing portrait of Duke Arnold of Helvetia a Swiss dignitary, f. 2r coat of arms (from top to bottom) of Zurich, Bern (wrong colours), Luzern, Uri, Schwyz (missing cross), Unterwalden, Zug, Glarus, Basel-Stadt, Fribourg, Solothurn (inverted colours), Schaffhausen displayed on a tree behind which an double-headed imperial eagle, the tree is topped by a depiction of an imperial crown and treue Hände (engl. loyal hands); f. 2v blank aside the decorative frame; f. 3r coat of arms potentially of a member of the Farnese family with Habsburg roots in clerical office framed by an exuberant gold cartouche decorated with cornucopiae, surrounded by the chain of the order of golden fleece; f. 3v "In Christi Nomine Amen", very attractive and large historiated initial ‘G’ in gold with attractive portrait of a beast’s head flanked by three human faces in very fine and artful ink-hatching (one other large initial ‘C’ in same style on f. 5v), signed by Petrus Sementius Procancellarius of the University f. 10v, f. 11r, notarial sign IBR of Iohannes Baptista Rusticelli, f. 19v signed by Antonius Gandulphus with notarial sign BA of Bartholomeus Albertinus, f. 20, blank aside decorative frame. (First gathering becoming detached, half a dozen leaves with slight marginal stain.)

binding: Bolognese brown morocco (255 x 192 mm), 1608, binding containing fragments of thirteenth-century manuscript text, richly gold-tooled border within gilt fillets comprised of repeated flower and tendril tool, large corner pieces of azured leafy tools, semé of pots containing a flower and marguerites, in centre a rectangle surrounded by pots and leafy tools containing crucified Christ on upper cover, and Virgin and child on lower cover, puncture through lower corners and book block where tassel and seal were formerly affixed, traces of 4 pairs of red silk ties, gilt edges. (Some wear to spine, ties lacking.)

provenance: Bernardo Maggi of Lugano (fl. 1608)—D.G. Rossi, Catalogue des livres et manuscrits composant la bibliothèque des ducs d'Altemps, part II, Rome, 20 January-10 February 1908, lot 2838. acquisition: Purchased in 1997 from Martayan Lan Inc., New York.