LA HISTORIA D'ITALIA Volumes I-II
Venice: Girolamo Polo, 1599. Leather_bound. 22 leaves introductory materials, [28 unnumbered leaves notes], 488 leaves part one; 112 leaves part two; 22 cm. (4to in 8s). All 20 chapters; two volumes bound in one. Volume Two, consisting of the last four chapters, has a separate title page: Dell'historia d'Italia ... gli vltimi quattro libri. Printer's device on each title page; head- and tail-pieces, initials. POOR CONDITION; OFFERED AS-IS. A hardcover book bound in full leather with five raised bands on spine and marbled endpapers. Front board and first blank pages detached; rear hinge worn with cords exposed. Edges worn and scuffed and gilt decorations on edges mostly worn or chipped away; leather crackled and rubbed. Bookplate and small scuff on front endpapers. Main textblock remains securely bound, although the book should be handled with care. Text clean and pages unmarred apart from a few crinkled edges and bent corners. A worn copy in need of rebinding but in decent, readable condition for its age. Item #215050
A scarce early history of Italy (Worldcat locates only 5 copies) by major Rennaisance historian Francesco Guicciardini, who pioneered the use of government source material in historiography. He was also a political writer and a friend of Machiavelli. This volume was published in Venice and has a dedication to Cosimo Medici. Text in Italian.
Price: $400.00