Terentius, Comoediae, Venice, Paolo Manuzio, 1541, Venetian russet morocco by Fugger Master, ca. 1545

Terentius Afer, Publius. Comoediae, multo, quam antea, diligentius emendatae. Venice: Paolo Manuzio, 1541

The third Aldine edition of the comedies of Terentius, the copy of Giovanni Paolo Amanio, Bishop of Anglona, according to an inscription on the last endleaf indicating that it was a gift from Pope Gregory XIII. In an attractive Fugger binding.

8vo (158 x 96 mm). Italic type, 30 lines plus headline. collation: a-b⁸ 1-18⁸ 19⁴: 164 leaves. Woodcut Aldine device on title- page and verso of last leaf, early marginalia. (Light stains, ink burn to edge of a few leaves.)

binding: Venetian russet morocco by Fugger Master (165 x 100 mm), circa 1545, multiple blind fillets around sides, frame of gilt interlaced strapwork, central panel with large gilt cornerpieces, undulating lozenges containing cartouches formed by large leafy tools with title "TEREN/TIVS", surrounded by gilt apple tool, fleurons, stars and solid leafy tools, traces of four pairs of green silk ties, spine with eight compartments decorated in blind by a leafy roll, plain edges gilt. (Restoration at ends of spine, extremities somewhat rubbed and darkened, joints weak.)

provenance: Purportedly Pope Gregory XIII (b. Ugo Boncompagni, 1502–1585; r. 1572–1585) — Giovanni Paolo Amanio (d. 1579), Bishop of Anglona, inscription indicating gift from Pope Gregory XIII, and "ex spoliis" of this bishop dated 19 December 1579 on final endleaf — Guglielmo Bruto Icilio Timoleone, Count Libri (Libri-Carrucci) (1803–1869) — Commandeur & P. Jannet, Catalogue de la bibliothèque de M. L***,* Paris, 28 June–4 August 1847, lot 1779 — A. Franck, Catalogue d'une belle collection de livres rares et curieux principalement en langue Italienne, Espagnole, Provençale, Française, Grecque, Latine, etc. (Paris [1848]), p. 29 item 547 — Florimond Lévêque & Victor Tilliard, Catalogue de livres, la plupart rares et curieux provenant de la bibliothèque de M. Libri Carucci, Paris, 12–28 April 1855, lot 900 — Leo S. Olschki, Florence, ex libris — Maurice Burrus (1882–1959), his acquisition label dated 1937 — Christie's Paris, 15 December 2015, lot 208. acquisition: Purchased at Christie's via Halwas. references: UCLA 297; Renouard 123/8; Edit16 56157; USTC 858697