Tacitus, annalium libri quatuor, Paris, Pierre Chevillot for Robert Colombel, 1581, eighteenth-century half vellum over marbled boards

Tacitus, Publius Cornelius. C. Cornelii Taciti equitis Romani Ab excessu divi Augusti annalium libri quatuor priores, et in hos observationes Caroli Paschalii cuneatis. Paris: Pierre Chevillot for Robert Colombel, 1581

[Bound with:] Simplicius. Simplicii philosophi grauissimi Commentarius in Enchiridion Epicteti philosophi stoici, quo vniuersa hominum vita instituitur, & libertatis recuperandae via monstratur. Angelo Caninio Anglariensi interprete. Nunc primum in lucem accurate editus. Ne quis hunc usquam alius suae ditionis locorum impune librum imprimat, alibiue impressum uendat, & pontificis maximi, & Veneti senatus illustrissimi decreto cautum est. Venice: Girolamo Scoto, 1546

2 vols bound in one, folio (320 x 209 mm). Roman and italic types, 48 lines plus headline. collation: (1) a⁴ A-Z⁴ Aa-Ii⁴ Kk⁶: 138 leaves; (2) π² A-G⁶ H-I⁴: 48 leaves (I4 a blank). Woodcut Aldine device to title-page, decorated initials in first work, printer's device to title-page and verso of last leaf of second work, historiated initials. (Intermittent toning and spotting.)

binding: Eighteenth-century half vellum over marbled boards (309 x 216 mm), red morocco lettering piece to spine, plain edges sprinkled with brown ink, edges of volumes slightly different colours indicating that they were put together after the sixteenth century. (Covers a little scratched.)

provenance: Unidentified owners, ex libris lettered "Ex Libris Valerio, Con el tempo" (in Tacitus) — Library of the Discalced Carmelites of Sant'Imerio, Cremona, founded 1606, suppressed 1805 (in Simplicius) — Bernard Quaritch; Catalogue 1446 (London 2021), item 50. acquisition: Purchased from Bernard Quaritch, London, 2021. references: (1) Renouard 299/7; USTC 170547; (2) Edit16 47830; USTC 856504