Vergilius, Opera, Venice, Sons of Aldo Manuzio, 1541, contemporary brown English calf

Vergilius Maro, Publius. Virgilius. Venice: Sons of Aldo Manuzio, January 1541

8vo (162 x 98 mm). Italic type, 30 lines plus headline. collation: A-Z⁸ AA-EE⁸: 224 leaves (EE7 blank). Woodcut Aldine device on title-page and verso of final leaf. (A few minor stains.)

binding: Contemporary brown English calf (171 x 104 mm), ruled in blind, later gilt crest of William Stuart on upper cover, featuring a lion with the motto "Nobilis Ira," spine gilt in six compartments with red morocco label, manuscript fragments in binding. (Binding rubbed and refurbished.)

provenance: Thomas Byng (fl. 1552–1599), inscription "Liber Thomae Byngi, pr. iiis. 1557" on flyleaf, and Greek motto on title-page — Philip Twysden (1713–1752), inscription "D.D. P. Twisden" — Sir Robert Eden, 3^rd Bt. (1717–1755), ex libris (partly obscured, motto: si sit prudentia) — unidentified owner, inscription "J.(?) Hoadley" dated 1754 on flyleaf — William Stuart (1798–1874), signature on flyleaf dated 1778, his ex libris "Aldenham Abbey" (Hertfordshire), and Stuart crest on binding — William Stuart (1825–1893); his sale, Sotheby's London, 17 June 1875, lot 45; purchased by — Nattali & Bond, London — Sir Edward Sullivan, 1^st Bt. (1822–1885), armorial ex libris on flyleaf "Sir Edward Sullivan , Tot Praemia Vitae" (So many rewards of life); his sale, Sotheby's London, 19 May-12 June 1890, lot 277; purchased by — William Ridler, London — William O'Brien (1832–1899), bequest ex libris "Ex Legato Gulielmi O'Brien Justiciarii An. 1899" — Milltown Park College, Dublin, ex libris "Milltown Park, S.J. Library" ("O'Brien Bequest" and shelfmark "A2 / A3b" added in pen), another ex libris with lettering "IHS" (partially obscured) — Sotheby's London, 7 June 2017, lot 363. acquisition: Purchased at Sotheby's via Halwas. references: UCLA 294; Renouard 123/7; Edit16 26702; USTC 862720