Lot 331
  • 331

Suetonius Tranquillus, Gaius

Estimate
7,000 - 10,000 GBP
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Description

  • Vitae XII Caesarum [with preliminary verses by Ausonius]. [Venice]: Nicolaus Jenson, [before July] 1471
  • Paper
4to (286 x 193mm.), 162 leaves (of 164, without 2 final blank leaves), [a-m10.12 n-o10 p12], 32 lines, roman type, first leaf with illuminated initial with white vine stem decoration extending into margin, arms of the Contarini family in a leafy roundel at foot, 6-line illuminated initials with white vine stem decoration at start of each book, 2-line initials in red or blue, traces of manuscript quiring, blind-tooled olive morocco by Charles Lewis (for Drury), spine tooled in blind with gilt lettering, gilt edges, a few deckle edges, a few small marginal wormholes, binding very slightly rubbed

Provenance

Contarini (Venetian noble family), arms on first leaf; Henry Drury (1778-1841), of Harrow, inscription on flyleaf, "religatum est... C. Lewis"; sale, Evans, 19 February 1827, lot 4265 ("an extraordinary fine copy"), £10 10s, to Payne; Payne & Foss, 1827, with the price £21, pencil inscription on flyleaf; William Beckford, Hamilton Palace sale, 12 July 1882, lot 2304, £16-15s, William Rimell; Sir Edward Sullivan, sale, Sotheby's, 10 June 1890, lot 6074, £8-8s, William Rimell; William O'Brien, bequest booklabel dated 1899, and his pencil notes on inside front cover with the price £8-8s

Literature

Goff S817; H 15117; BMC v 170; BSB-Ink S-610; Bod-inc S-338; GW M44237; Grosjean & O'Connell 106

Condition

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

A LARGE CRISP COPY of the third edition of Suetonius, after two editions printed in Rome in 1470, edited by Joannes Andreae and Giovanni Antonio Campano. The editor here is unknown.