Pontano, Opera, Venice, Aldo Manuzio & Andrea Torresano, 1513, Venetian russet morocco over thin wooden boards, ca. 1515, with a medallion portrait of the author

Pontano, Giovanni Gioviano. Pontani Opera. Vrania, siue de stellis libri quinque. Meteororum liber unus. De hortis Hesperidum libri duo. Lepidina siue postorales [!] pompae septem. Item Meliseus Maeon Acon. Hendecasyllaborum libri duo. Tumulorum liber unus. Neniae duodecim. Epigrammata duodecim. Quae uero in toto opere habeantur in indice, qui in calce est, licet uidere. [Venice: Aldo Manuzio & Andrea Torresano, 1513]

[Bound with:] Pontano, Ioannis Iouiani Pontani Amorum. Libri duo. Eiusdem de Amore coniugali. Libri tres. Tumulorum. Libri duo. Eiusdem de Diuinis laudibus. Lib. unus. Hendecasyllabarum seu baiarum. Libri duo. Eiusdem Iambici uersus de obitu Lucii filii. Item Lyrici uersus adres uarias pertinentes. In calce libri duo, quibus titulus est Eridanus. Alter etiam erit index in fine, quo licebit omnia, quae tractentur inspicere singillatim. [Florence: Filippo (I) Giunta, June 1514]

An evidently unique Venetian plaquette binding, utilizing both the obverse and reverse images of a portrait medallion of Pontano cast by Adriano Fiorentino (Adriano di Giovanni de’ Maestri), a sculptor and bronze founder who worked in Naples from about 1488 until 1495. The contents are evidently a bespoke selection of Pontano's verse from two editions made by the original owner, likely assembled before 1518 when the Aldine Amores was published. Among the poems represented here are "Urania," a contemplation of the constellations, mythology, and astrology; "Meteora," a sequel of sorts examining meteorological phenomena and the sublunary sphere; and "De Hortis Hesperidum," a didactic work on citrus fruits.

In a "Notabilia" blog post, Robin Halwas provides a census of the five recorded Neapolitan bindings with a raised medallion portrait of Pontano from Fiorentino's medal, all covering editions of Pontano (https://www.robinhalwas.com/n30-neapolitan-bindings-with-a-medallion-portrait-of-giovanni-gioviano-pontano-). All of these bindings utilize the obverse of the medal only and were considered by E. P. Goldschmidt to be "the finest examples of the application of a Renaissance medal on bookbindings" (Gothic and Renaissance Bookbindings, I:72). The present Venetian bindng is the only one known that employs the reverse of the medal.

2 works in one volume, 8vo (164 x 98 mm). Opera: Italic type, 30 lines plus headline. collation: a–z⁸ aa–ii⁸ (-aa1–ii8): 184 (of 256) foliated leaves only. Woodcut Aldine device on title-page, initial spaces with guide letters, the first illuminated in gold on a red ground. Amorum: Italic type, 30 lines plus headline. collation: A–Z⁸ AA⁸–BB⁴ (-A1, A2, AA5–8, BB1–4): 186 (of 196) foliated leaves only. Floriated woodcut initials, initial spaces with guide letters, some early marginalia. (Some soiling and staining, chiefly marginal, title-page of Aldine imprint remargined at foot, final leaf of Giunta imprint rebacked.)

binding: Venetian russet morocco over thin wooden boards (172 x 102 mm), ca. 1515, covers with border of multiple blind fillets, gilt rosette at inner corners, frame of three blind fillets, gilt leaf at inner corners, in center of upper cover a brownmorocco roundel inlay with the portrait medallion of Pontanus by Adriano Fiorentino (Kress, Medals 106, Hill 340), and on lower cover a brown morocco roundel inlay of Urania, the Muse of Astronomy (from reverse of this medal), remnants of four leather clasps attaching to brass catches on lower cover, spine in four compartments diapered by triple blind fillets, interstices with circular punch, plain endpapers, edges gilt. (Extremities rather rubbed, spine very slightly chipped at head and foot, two tiny unobtrusive wormholes.)

provenance: Unidentified owner, inscription "αληvovίoυ και τωv Χρωμιvώv φίλωv" on title-page — Libreria antiquaria T. De Marinis & C., Catalogue 11 (Florence, 1911), item 323 — Albert Figdor (1843–1927); Gilhofer & Ranschburg, Auktion 8, Lucerne, 14–15 June 1932, lot 367; purchased by — unidentified owner (CHF 750) — Emil Offenbacher, Kew Gardens, New York; purchased by — Cornelius J. Hauck (1893–1967), 7 April 1954; by bequest to — Cincinnati Historical Society Library; Christie's New York, The History of the Book: the Cornelius J. Hauck Collection of the Cincinnati Museum Center, 27 June 2006, lot 257. acquisition: Purchased at Christie's via Halwas. references: Opera: UCLA 109; Adams P1858; Aldo Manuzio Tipografo 119; Edit16 37456; Renouard 63/7; USTC 850318. Amorum: Decia & Delfiol, vol. 2, p. 83 no. 51; Edit16 28729; Renouard XXXVII/51; USTC 850309; for the binding: De Marinis, La Legatura artistica in Italia nei secoli XV e XVI (Florence, 1960), no. 265; A. Hobson, Humanists and Bookbinders (Cambridge, 1989), p. 237 ("Census of Plaquette and Medallion bindings," no. 84f)