16th century Italian printing in London.- Machiavelli (Niccolò) L'Asino D'Oro di Nicolo Macchiavelli, Con Tutte L'Altre Sue Operette, 3 parts in 1, titles with woodcut printer's devices, woodcut decorative initial and head-piece, final f. blank, 4pp. 18th century ink notes in French on Machiavelli to front free endpapers, ink stamp removed from upper corner of a front free endpaper and lower corner of final text f.,18th century polished calf, gilt, spine in compartments, spine ends little chipped, upper joint split, but holding firm, corners worn, rubbed, [STC 17158], 8vo, Rome [but London], [John Wolfe], 1588.

⁂ Rare at auction. Wolfe had been apprenticed with John Day, and when this came to an end he travelled to Italy to perfect his trade. Only he and John Charlewood were printers of Italian works in England in the late 16th century. Some 20 of Wolfe's works appear in the catalogues of the Frankfurt Book Fair between 1581 and 1591.

Provenance: 'Bibliothèque de M. De Laus de Boissy, Ecuyer Lieutenant-particulier du Siège de la Connétablie, Rapporteur du Point-d'Honneur; Membre des Académies de Rome, Padouë, &c. &c..' (large engraved bookplate to front pastedown).