Ricci, De imitatione, Venice, Sons of Aldo Manuzio, 1545, nineteenth-century dark green straight-grained English morocco

Ricci, Bartolomeo. Bartholomaei Ricci De imitatione libri tres ad Alfonsum Atestium principem, suum in literis alumnum, Herculis II. Ferrariensium principis filium. Venice: Sons of Aldo Manuzio, 1545

8vo (156 x 89 mm). Italic type, 30 lines plus headline. collation: A-L⁸: 88 leaves. Woodcut Aldine to title-page and final verso, guide letters in initial spaces. (Washed.)

binding: Nineteenth-century dark green straight-grained English morocco (159 x 94 mm), gilt fillets around sides, gilt Aldine device on covers, blue endpapers, gilt edges. (Lightly scratched, joints starting.)

provenance: Hon. George Matthew Fortescue (1791-1877) — by descent to his only son, John Bevill Fortescue (1850-1938) — by descent to his son John Grenville Fortescue (1896-1969) — by descent to his son John Desmond Grenville Fortescue (1919-2017) — by descent to his son John Desmond Grenville Fortescue (1919-2017); his sale, Christie's London, 24 March 1971, lot 140; purchased by — William Salloch, Ossining, NY. acquisition: Purchased from William Salloch, Ossining, NY, 1976. references: UCLA 330; Renouard 131/6; Edit16 26957; USTC 852408