Ruscelli, Le imprese illustri, Venice, 1584, contemporary limp vellum

RUSCELLI, GIROLAMO. Le imprese illustri del S^or Ieronimo Ruscelli. Aggiuntovi nuovam^te il quarto libro da Vincenzo Ruscelli da Viterbo. Venice: Francesco de Franceschi, 1584 (1583)

FIRST EDITION OF BOOK IV, and the fourth edition of the first three books. This additional fourth chapter, by Vincenzo Ruscelli, Girolamo's nephew, includes two full-page devices and 20 smaller imprese, including those of Francesco de' Medici, Giacomo Foscarini and Piero Strozzi. The two double-page engravings are by Niccolò Nelli and Gaspare Oselli, previously used in the first edition.

4 parts in one volume, 4to (253 x 174 mm). Roman and italic type, 46 lines plus headline. Collation: a-b⁴ c⁶ A-Z⁴ Aa-Zz⁴ Aaa-Qqq⁴; πA⁴ A-I⁴ K⁶: 304 leaves (final leaf blank). Engraved title-page to each part, dedication to Guglielmo Gonzaga, woodcut initials, head- and tailpieces, 147 engraved illustrations (that on V2v printed upside down, that on V4V not printed cleanly), 2 double-page engravings and 17 full-page engravings. (Title-pages and several full-page engravings cut close at fore-edge, small hole to flyleaf and title, O2 and BB2 reinforced at gutter, loss to foredge of Bbb1, marginal tear to foot of Ggg2, repair to foredge of Kkk3 and head of Kkk4 and Qqq4; A4 engraved title page shaved at foredge, small hole to D4, repair to head of K3 and K4, occasional minor staining, browning at edges.)

Binding: Contemporary limp vellum (256 x 182 mm), slight foredge flaps, stubs from two pairs of ties, lettered along foot of textblock. (Binding somewhat stained, small hole to upper cover, upper hinge broken.)

Acquisition: Purchased in 2002 from Robin Halwas. References: Edit16 77379; Landwehr, Romanic Emblem Books 650