Officium Beatae Mariae virginis, Venice, 1740, contemporary brown morocco gilt

[Officium parvum beatae Mariae Virginis]

Beatae Mariae Virginis officium. Venice: Giovanni Battista Pasquali, 1740

8vo (130 x 80mm.), engraved throughout (including frontispiece, title-page, 15 full-page illustrations and 20 tailpieces engraved by Marco Alvise Pitteri after designs by Giovanni Battista Piazzetta, text engraved by Angela Baroni), contemporary Venetian brown morocco elaborately gilt, spine gilt in compartments, two metal clasps and metal edging along all board edges with etched decoration on the inside face, blue silk board liners, gilt edges, occasional light staining, Aa8 repaired at lower corner with a few words supplied in manuscript

A charming prayer book, "il gioiello più gentile del bibliopola Pasquali" (Morazzoni, p.115), financed by Caime, a rich Venetian merchant. The plates later came into the possession of Remondini and were reprinted several times.

LITERATURE:

Morazzoni pp.115-116