Ovidius Naso, Fasti, Tristia, and Epistulae ex Ponto, Venice, Aldo Manuzio, (January 1502–) February 1503, contemporary Venetian russet morocco

Ovidius Naso, Publius. Publii Ouidii Nasonis, Quae hoc in libello continentur. Fastorum. Libri VI. De tristibus. Libri V. De Ponto. Libri IIII. Venice: Aldo Manuzio, (January 1502–) February 1503

First edition of the third volume of the 1502–1503 Aldine Ovid; a second copy, printed on paper and bound in attractive contemporary Venetian russet morocco with the original owner's supralibros.

8vo (162 x 97 mm). Italic type, 30 lines plus headline. collation: aaa–kkk⁸ lll⁶ mmm–sss⁸ ttt⁶ uuu–zzz⁸ AAA–CCC⁸: 204 leaves (lll6 blank). Woodcut Aldine device on title-page, lll5v, and CCC8v, two-, three-, and four-line initial spaces with guide letters. (Occasional marginal soiling and staining, most pronounced on ccc2–7.)

binding: Contemporary Venetian russet morocco (169 x 108mm), covers with gilt-fillet border flanked by multiple blind fillets, frame composed of two single gilt fillets flanked by multiple blind fillets enclosing repeated arabesques, gilt rosettes in corners between border and frame, semi-circles containing leafy ornament in inner corners of frame, upper cover with a central roundel formed by two single gilt fillets containing a repeated "S" tool, with flowery finials, and containing in center of roundel P*OVI* | FASTOR* | LIB*, lower cover with same roundel lettered IŌ. [ornament] BV., traces of four pairs of fabric ties, spine with four full and four false bands, compartments with blind horizontal guilloche, plain endpapers, edges gilt and gauffered. (Extremities rather worn, spine darkened.)

provenance: Unidentified owner, supralibros IŌ. BV. within roundel on lower cover — several early ownership inscriptions on front free endpaper, some deleted. acquisition: Purchased from Librairie Clavreuil, Paris, 2018. references: UCLA 68; Adams O425; Aldo Manuzio tipografo 72; Edit16 48412; Grolier/Aldus 39; Renouard 38/14; USTC 845661