LE IMAGINI DELLE DONNE AUGUSTE INTAGLIATE IN ISTAMPA DI RAME; CON LE VITE ET ISPOSITIONI DI ENEA VICO, SOPRA I RIVERSI DELLE LORO MEDAGLIE ANTICHE: LIBRO PRIMO by Vico, Enea - 1557

Vinegia: Appresso Enea Vico Parmigiano et Vincenzo Valgrisio, In Vinegia, 1557. First Edition. Leather-bound. Very Good. Originally published in vellum, now in later plain calf, triple ruled in gilt with dentelles on edges, and red edge stain. Title page, imprimatur page, 4 pp. dedication, then 212 pages of text. numerous elaborate historiated capitals. Recent conservator's repair to front board. Extraordinarily lovely frontis of an altar "with festoons of fruits on the two centaurs, male and female; the former with a trumpet, the latter with a lyre; both mounted by lovely naked children." ...aka cherubs. Woodcut printer's Device of Vincenzo Valgrisio, present at very end.

First edition of Vico's luscious engraved study devoted to the coins depicting notable Roman women whose likenesses were stamped upon currency of the realm. This first edition (possibly a second issue, determined by the presence of Roman numerals on the plates) features 61 plates, plus the stunning frontis. Missing two leaves -- 187/188 & 189/190 -- upon which we assume plates LVI & LVII were supposed to be found. Quite possibly never included in original binding.

Armorial bookplate to front pastedown endpaper depicting family crest belonging to Earl of Roden K.St.P., an Irish peerage created for Robert Jocelyn. Also a bookplate which reads "Caxton Stephen Ginnta; Nullus Amicus Magis Libet Quam Liber; Aldus Gutenberg Derard"; and atop that bookplate, a smaller, egg-shaped, bright yellow private library sticker bearing the name Max Salomon, beneath the encircling outspread wings of a stork or pelican. VERY clean copy of a scarce sixteenth-century title by an extraordinary craftsman. The Imagini Delle Donne Auguste carved in copper print with lives, and ispositioni by Enea Vico on the sides of their ancient medals. "Libro Primo" (Book I), but scholars agree, the only volume of this title ever printed )

Enea Vico born in Parma, Italy (1520-1563) was an author, draftsman, and engraver, particularly of coins, medals, cartels, vase, and, frontispieces. He was most famous as a numismatic writer, having, it is said, published the first manual on coin collecting. Plate XXVII is a tipped-in image. A number of versos of images are blank; numbering of pages and images not interrupted.

Vico made engravings for Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and later Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara. Penciled in on fixed endpaper as author by previous bookseller.

(Source: Bradley, John William. A Dictionary of Miniaturists,
Illuminators, Calligraphers, and copyists ..., Volume III, pp. 382-384).