Vita et Aesopus moralisatus.

Accession number: 
PML 482
Author: 
Aesop.
Published: 
Impresse Aquile : per magistru[m] Eusanium de Stella Ciue[m] Aquilanu[m] ... cu[m] Ioanne Picardo de Hamell ac Loisio de Masson Francigena consociis suis, Anno salutis .M.CCCC.LXXXXIII. Die ultima mensis Maii [31 May 1493].
Description: 
[168] leaves : illustrations, initials, borders (woodcuts) ; 28.5 cm. (fol.)
Credit Line: 
Purchased with the Bennett collection, 1902.
Notes: 

Title from ISTC.
Imprint from colophon, leaf y6v: Francisci de Tuppo Parthenopei utriusque iuris disertissimi studiosissimique in uitam Esopi fabulatoris lepidissimi philosophiquȩ clarissimi traductio materno sermone fidelissima & in eius fabulas allegorie cum exemplis antiquis modernisque finiunt feliciter. Impresse Aquile per magistru[m] Eusanium de Stella Ciue[m] Aquilanu[m] uiru[m]utique non minus in imprime[n]dis caracteribus q[uam] aliis rebus agendis miri ingenii: una cu[m] Ioanne Picardo de Hamell ac Loisio de Masson Francigena consociis suis. Sub Ferdinando rege Illustrissimo. Anno salutis .M.CCCC.LXXXXIII. Die ultima mensis Maii.
Printed in Eusanius's type 1:86R.
Signatures: a-e⁸ f⁴ g-t⁸ u-x⁶ y⁸: 168 leaves, leaf y8 blank.
Paper format: Chancery folio.
1 column, 41 lines. Initial spaces, with printed guide letters.
Aesopus moralisatus is the metrical version of Fabulae Lib. I-IV by Anonymous Neveleti (Gualtherus Anglicus?).
Adapted, with additions, and translated by Francesco del Tuppo.
Eighty-nine woodcut illustrations within borders. The illustrations are copies, in reverse, of those in the edition printed in Naples for Francesco del Tuppo in 1485 (ISTC ia00155000).
Woodcut device A of Eusanius de Stella on leaf y6v, see BM 15th cent., VII, 1098.
PML copy leaf dimensions: 28.5 x 20.8 cm.

Binding: 
17th/18th-century gilt-tooled calf painted in black, white, red and green in a Grolieresque pattern, over paper boards (29.5 x 21 cm.), sewn on 4 supports. Modern plain paper pastedowns and fly leaves.
Inscriptions/Markings: 

Hand decoration: Rubrication unrealized. Annotations: Contemporary marginal notations sporadically throughout. Pen trials and doodles sporadically throughout. Unidentified inscription, in scroll "Ate sola conviene" (leaf a1r).

Provenance: 
[Likely falsefied Grolier provenance, inscription: "Io. Grolierii et amicorum" added to top board -- not accepted as authentic by the compilers of the Bennett catalogue and not included in the Gabriel Austin list of books in Grolier's library;] early inscriptions, abraded/not legible under UV (leaves a1r and a2r); Bernard Quaritch, General Catalogue (1883) and (1889), vol. 1, no 119 (as Grolier binding); Richard Bennett (1849-1930), armorial bookplate (rear pastedown) and bibliographical notes: No. 141, 5/5/96 and price code: rom/-/- +com (front pastedown); Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), purchased with the Bennett collection, 1902.
Classification: 
Century: 
Department: