CICERO

£9,500 · Offered by Sokol Books

.Attractive and important Aldine edition of Cicero s Epistolae familiares , the first to include Paulus Manutius scholia, in a contemporary probably French binding. Although the design of the blind stamped covers and the type of calf suggests an English or Flemish manufacture, the fine blind stamped roll and its numerous variations appear on bindings realised in Paris and the regions of eastern France during the first half of the 16.th. century (roll: see Gid., Catalogue des reliures françaises Vol II, pl. 64-66; French bindings with the roll: Gid, Vol. I, no. 136-183, atelier: Paris; no. 61, atelier: Lyon; n. 178-179, atelier: Eastern France). The roll is not recorded by Oldham. Similar richly gilt and gauffered edges are found on southern European luxury volumes. The gilt title and the initials T.F. are English in style; unfortunately, we were unable to uncover the identity of this early owner. .This edition of the epistles is the second by Paulus (first 1533), and it includes an entirely revised and improved text, new title, preface and a new remarkable 50-page detailed commentary (scholia). The youngest son of Aldus, Paulus (1512-1574) was an influential publisher and one of the most prominent humanists of the Late Italian Renaissance. He was especially engaged in Latin literature and his outstanding reputation as a scholar was built upon his editions and commentaries on the works of Cicero: no man had a juster conception of the beauties of this great Roman orator and phi

• Binding: Hardcover

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