Accession number
PML 18395
Creator
Pliny, the Elder.
Object title
Naturalis histori[a]e.
Published
Restituit Venetis : me nuper Spira Ioannes, .M.CCCC.LXVIIII [1469, before 18 September].
Description
[358] leaves ; 40.5 cm (fol.)
Credit line
Purchased by Pierpont Morgan, 1908.
Notes
Title from incipit, leaf [1]/1r: [P]linivs secundus nouocomensis equestribus militis industri[a]e functus: procurationes quoq[ue] splendidissimas atq[ue] continuas summa integritate administrauit. Et tamen liberalibus studius tantam operam dedit: ut non temere q[ui]s plura inotio scripserit. Itaq[ue] bella omnia qu[a]e undiq[ue] cum romanis gesta sunt .xxxvii. uolu[men]ibus compr[a]ehendit. Ite[m] naturalis histori[a]e .xxxvii. libros absoluit. ...
Imprint from colophon, leaf [36]/9: Quem modo tam rarum cupiens uix lector haber[et]: / Quiq[ue] etiam fractus pene legenus eram: / Restituit Venetis me nuper Spira Ioannes: / Exscripsitq[ue] libros [a]ere notante meos. / Fessa manus quondam moneo: Calamusq[ue] quiescat. / Nanq[ue] labor studio cessit: & ingenio. / .M.CCCC.LXVIIII.
Printed in De Spira's type 1:110R.
Collation: [1¹⁰ 2⁸; 3-9¹⁰ 10¹²; 11-18¹⁰ 19-20⁸; 21-28¹⁰ 29¹²; 30-32¹⁰ 33⁸; 34-36¹⁰]: 358 leaves, leaf [36]/10 blank.
Paper format: Royal folio.
Edition printed in 100 copies.
For 3 variant settings of leaves 1-5, see BMC reprint.
PML copy leaf dimensions: 39.5 x 29 cm.
PML copy missing 1 leaf: [36]/10 (blank).
Imprint from colophon, leaf [36]/9: Quem modo tam rarum cupiens uix lector haber[et]: / Quiq[ue] etiam fractus pene legenus eram: / Restituit Venetis me nuper Spira Ioannes: / Exscripsitq[ue] libros [a]ere notante meos. / Fessa manus quondam moneo: Calamusq[ue] quiescat. / Nanq[ue] labor studio cessit: & ingenio. / .M.CCCC.LXVIIII.
Printed in De Spira's type 1:110R.
Collation: [1¹⁰ 2⁸; 3-9¹⁰ 10¹²; 11-18¹⁰ 19-20⁸; 21-28¹⁰ 29¹²; 30-32¹⁰ 33⁸; 34-36¹⁰]: 358 leaves, leaf [36]/10 blank.
Paper format: Royal folio.
Edition printed in 100 copies.
For 3 variant settings of leaves 1-5, see BMC reprint.
PML copy leaf dimensions: 39.5 x 29 cm.
PML copy missing 1 leaf: [36]/10 (blank).
Binding
19th-century English gilt-tooled full brown goatskin over heavy paper boards (40.5 x 30 cm), sewn on 6 supports by Francis Bedford. Plain paper pastedowns and endleaves; decorative endbands; gilt edges.
Variant title
Historia naturalis
Inscriptions/Markings
Hand decoration: Contemporary Venetian rubrication and illumination; decorative floral border, previously attributed to Girolamo di Cremona (leaf [1]/1r), white vine initials on red/blue/green ground, some over woodcut pattern stamping, some with manuscript guide letter visible; minor initials in alternating red and blue, with pink chapter rubrics. Annotations: A few contemporary marginal notations, in several hands, sporadically in text, mainly keywords, including naming of winds (leaf [3]/7r). Contemporary manuscript alpha-numeric quire signatures.
Provenance
Unidentified (families include Alberici of Orvieto, Rossi of Florence, Odasio of Pesaro Urbino, Bado of Genoa, Peyrani of Turin, Oltrono Visconti of Milan, and Vignola of Padua) Italian armorial: d'azzurro, al leone d'oro, lampassato di rosso (leaf [1]/1r); unidentified Italian inscription, dated 10 May 1537 (leaf [36]/9v); Charles Scribners Sons, First Editions of 100 Famous Books, 1463-1795, exhibited 15-22 Nov. 1905, no. V for $7,500; Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), purchased from J. Pearson & Co., 1908.
Classification
Catalog link
Century
Department