From the celebrated library of Dr. Odorico Pillone

[Pillone Library - Vecellio, Cesare]. Feyerabend, Sigmund (ed.). Annales sive historiae rerum Belgicarum.

Frankfurt am Main, (Georg Rab the Elder for) Sigmund Feyerabend, 1580.

Folio (265 x 388 mm). 2 parts in one volume. 427, (21); 187, (1) pp. Titles within elaborate allegorical woodcut border signed by Jost Amman. Woodcut headpieces, initials and Feyerabend publisher's mark signed by Tobias Stimmer at end part I. Contemporary full vellum, remnants of four alum-tawed leather ties, spine with four raised bands, headbands in grey, white, and yellow. Stored in custom-made half morocco box.

 85.000,00

First edition of this collection of the leading histories of the Low Countries, edited by Feyerabend. Fore-edge painting by Cesare Vecellio, depicting a scholar seated at a desk overlooking a landscape with the title "ANNA/LES" below; top and tail edges decorated with abstract line designs.

A rare item from the celebrated library of Dr. Odorico Pillone and his father. Late in the 16th century, Odorico invited Vecellio (first cousin once removed of the master painter Titian, under whom he trained) to decorate a number of books in his library with fore-edge paintings, thereby establishing the earliest known private collection of such paintings. As was Vecellio's preferred style, the painting here is of a scholar, brightly dressed in red and a black hat, centered on the fore-edge and additionally visible on the closed edge.

The histories contained are by Jacques Meyer (Part I, Flanders), Adrian Baarland (II, Brabant), G. Geldenhouwer (II, Holland), Jacques Marchand (II, Flanders), and L. Guicciardini (II, in Latin); also, shorter texts by Philip Galle and G. Candidus on the then-current situation.

Corners insignificantly bumped and rubbed, some worming to edges and spine, hinges and endpapers (with chipping to head of spine). Binding shows some dampstaining and soiling. A few tears to flyleaves. Internally generally clean with occasional insignificant foxing and some dampstaining, chiefly confined to margins, as well as minor text block edgewear. Overall a very good example with the fore-edge painting a little worn but still bright.

Provenance: Odorico Pillone (1503-93); Casteldardo estate (ca. 17th-19th centuries); Bayolle of Venice (early 19th century); Paolo Maresio Bazolle (1874); Sir Thomas Brooke (1830-1908; his bookplate to front pastedown); Humphrey Brooke (early 20th century); Pierre Berès (ca. 1947; his bookplate to front pastedown); Jeff Weber Rare Books; Randall J. Moskovitz, MD, Memphis, Tennessee (1990); acquired from the sale of his estate.

Literatur

VD 16, F 897. Berès, Bibliothèque Pillone, no. 133. Berès, Un groupe de livres Pillone, no. 1. Brooke, A Catalogue by Thomas Brooke, p. 666, no. 5. BNHCat A 394. Cf. Hobson, Pillone Library, The Book Collector (Spring 1958), pp. 28-37; Weber, Annotated Dictionary, pp. 221-227.

Art.-Nr.: BN#56247 Schlagwörter: , ,