Plutarch. La prima [- seconda] parte delle Vite..., 2 vol., first edition, translated by Lodovico Domenichi, collation I: *⁴ A-Z⁸ AA-ZZ⁸ AAA-PPP⁸, collation II: [cross]⁴ a-z⁸ aa-kk⁸ ll4 aaa-fff⁸ ggg⁴, woodcut printer's device to titles and a different version to final f. in each vol., woodcut historiated initials and head-pieces, vol. 1 title with excised ink inscriptions, two small paper repairs and initialed blind-stamp to foot, ink inscription to front endpaper in ?later hand, H3-6 browned but generally very clean with only scattered faint foxing and very occasional minor stains, vol. 2 title with ink inscriptions, multiple scattered ff. browned or foxed (including title), some faint foxing and minor stains, minor worming to endpapers and staining to pastedowns, together handsomely bound in contemporary Venetian red morocco by Anthon Lodewijk, ornate in gilt, covers with a panel design featuring decorative tooling surrounding arabesque, circular and foliate forms, vol. 1 central medallion with later inset copper plaquette depicting Apollo aboard chariot and Pegasus, while vol. 2 the medallion simply tooled in gilt but with additional decoration within arabesque form, spines similarly gilt, vol. 1 expertly rebacked preserving original backstrip and with discreet repairs at corners, vol. 2 skillful repairs to joints, each housed within non-uniform modern cloth drop-back box, g.e., 4to (245 x 165mm.), Venice, Gabriele Giolito de' Ferrari and Brothers, 1555.

*** A stunning first edition copy of Domenichi’s Italian translation of Plutarch’s ‘Vitae’ in its original contemporary Venetian binding, the two volumes recently united after more than a century’s separation. Anthon Lodewijk was a famous Flemish craftsman active in Venice between 1553 and 1557, whose skills were employed by printer Giolito to create luxurious presentation copy bindings for distinguished clients. Lodewijk’s style is resonant of the famous Venetian ‘Mendoza’ or ‘Fugger Binder’, but he used his own kit of Italian tools. By the early 20th century, these two volumes had become separated, being individually traceable throughout that time until reunification in recent decades. This separation explains the copper plaquette on volume 1; likely an addition made during this time by a skilful forger who sought to augment the volume’s desirability to collectors as a particularly sumptuous example of renaissance binding or simply as a curiosity - perhaps added by Milanese bookbinder and known forger Vittorio Villa (late 19th century) or his successor Domenico Conti Borbone (early 20th century).

Provenance: Pietro Benincasa, Curtio Bertini (contemporary title inscriptions, partly removed vol.1); By the early twentieth century the two volumes became separated:

Vol. 1: Tammaro De Marinis (Florentine bookseller, 1878-1969), 1911; Cartier library (sale Sotheby's Monaco, 28 November 1979, lot 1366); Rossignol (sale Paris, Valleriaux expert, 27 February 2003, lot 557); Michel Wittock (see The Michel Wittock Collection. Part I: Important Renaissance Bookbindings, Christie's London 2004, no. 97).

Vol. 2: Baron de Sant'Anna (sale Brussels 16 May 1925, lot 105); Michel Wittock (ex-libris on the front pastedown; see The Michel Wittock Collection. Part i: Important Renaissance Bookbindings, Christie's London 2004, no. 97).

⁂ Literature: EDIT 16 CNCE 27108.