Platina, Delle vite et fatti di tutti i sommi pontefici romani, Venice, 1543, contemporary Venetian brown morocco gilt for the Ferro family

4to (211 x 151 mm). collation: A⁴ a-3p⁴: 248 leaves. Title-page with large woodcut device repeated on verso of final leaf. (Dampstaining to some leaves.)

binding: Contemporary Venetian brown morocco (218 x 162 mm), panelled in gilt and blind, in the outer corners fleurons, in the inner corners of the central panel a small tool of an acorn with leaves, in the centre the arms of the Venetian family of Ferro, in the upper panel title in gilt "PLATINA DELI P." (pontifici), blue edges, author's name ("Platina.") lettered in manuscript to bottom edge of textblock. (Neat restoration at foot of spine, one small wormhole to spine and area of minor worming to rear pastedown.)

provenance: Ferro family arms stamped in gilt to covers, possibly those of Girolamo Ferro (d.1561)—Francesco Zambeccari (1682-1767), inkstamp to title-page—Martin Breslauer Inc., Catalogue 110, no. 31. acquisition: Purchased in 1992 from Martin Breslauer Inc., New York. references: USTC 807522; Edit16 CNCE 35117; cf. De Marinis, Die Italienischen Renaissance-Einbände der Bibliothek Fürstenberg (Hamburg, 1966), pp.130-131 (1524 Venice edition of Curtius Rufus' Historia in a very similar binding, also for the Ferro family)