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Extremely rare sixteenth-century Italian writing master's book in an unrecorded issue of the second and best edition

GAGLIARDELLI, Salvadore.
Soprascritte di lettere in forma cancelleresca, corsiva, appartenenti ad ogni grado di persona; date in luce in tal carattero per commune utilità degli studiosi della buona forma dello scrivere, per esercitarsi nelle accomodate abbreviature, ne'tratti diversi, nelle variate maiuscole, che in esso sono, cosi nello scritto. come ance nel modo del dire di esse soprascritte. ... Con l'aggiunta di questa seconda stampa, come à piè della tavola si dice.

Title in elaborate woodcut border (Type 2), f. 2r-12v: printed texts in decorated borders composed from little stamps, f. 13r-84: woodcut calligraphical texts (f. 13r-16v: one text to a page; f. 17r-84v: two numbered texts - 1-269 and 3 blank - to a page) within 3 types of elaborate woodcut borders: (1): decorated border on all the verso's; (2): elaborate border with putti in the top border, the one to the left holding a banner with the text "Il Gagliardello", the one to the right with the banner with "Scrittore in Fior."; two nude writing masters holding quills and writing utensils as caryatids left and right; (3) idem, with putti and two griffins in the top border holding the same banners and two nude 'writing mistresses' at either side. Types 2 and 3 alternating on the recto's.

Title in elaborate woodcut border (Type 2), f. 2r-12v: printed texts in decorated borders composed from little stamps, f. 13r-84: woodcut calligraphical texts (f. 13r-16v: one text to a page; f. 17r-84v: two numbered texts - 1-269 and 3 blank - to a page) within 3 types of elaborate woodcut borders: (1): decorated border on all the verso's; (2): elaborate border with putti in the top border, the one to the left holding a banner with the text "Il Gagliardello", the one to the right with the banner with "Scrittore in Fior."; two nude writing masters holding quills and writing utensils as caryatids left and right; (3) idem, with putti and two griffins in the top border holding the same banners and two nude 'writing mistresses' at either side. Types 2 and 3 alternating on the recto's.

Title in elaborate woodcut border (Type 2), f. 2r-12v: printed texts in decorated borders composed from little stamps, f. 13r-84: woodcut calligraphical texts (f. 13r-16v: one text to a page; f. 17r-84v: two numbered texts - 1-269 and 3 blank - to a page) within 3 types of elaborate woodcut borders: (1): decorated border on all the verso's; (2): elaborate border with putti in the top border, the one to the left holding a banner with the text "Il Gagliardello", the one to the right with the banner with "Scrittore in Fior."; two nude writing masters holding quills and writing utensils as caryatids left and right; (3) idem, with putti and two griffins in the top border holding the same banners and two nude 'writing mistresses' at either side. Types 2 and 3 alternating on the recto's.

Title in elaborate woodcut border (Type 2), f. 2r-12v: printed texts in decorated borders composed from little stamps, f. 13r-84: woodcut calligraphical texts (f. 13r-16v: one text to a page; f. 17r-84v: two numbered texts - 1-269 and 3 blank - to a page) within 3 types of elaborate woodcut borders: (1): decorated border on all the verso's; (2): elaborate border with putti in the top border, the one to the left holding a banner with the text "Il Gagliardello", the one to the right with the banner with "Scrittore in Fior."; two nude writing masters holding quills and writing utensils as caryatids left and right; (3) idem, with putti and two griffins in the top border holding the same banners and two nude 'writing mistresses' at either side. Types 2 and 3 alternating on the recto's.

Title in elaborate woodcut border (Type 2), f. 2r-12v: printed texts in decorated borders composed from little stamps, f. 13r-84: woodcut calligraphical texts (f. 13r-16v: one text to a page; f. 17r-84v: two numbered texts - 1-269 and 3 blank - to a page) within 3 types of elaborate woodcut borders: (1): decorated border on all the verso's; (2): elaborate border with putti in the top border, the one to the left holding a banner with the text "Il Gagliardello", the one to the right with the banner with "Scrittore in Fior."; two nude writing masters holding quills and writing utensils as caryatids left and right; (3) idem, with putti and two griffins in the top border holding the same banners and two nude 'writing mistresses' at either side. Types 2 and 3 alternating on the recto's.



Florence, for the author, (1583). Oblong 4to. (203 x 255 mm). 19th-century three-quarter blue painted calf, ribbed spine with title lettered in gold, marbled boards, marbled endpapers (Legatoria T. LAENGNER, Milano). Title in elaborate woodcut border (Type 2), f. 2r-12v: printed texts in decorated borders composed from little stamps, f. 13r-84: woodcut calligraphical texts (f. 13r-16v: one text to a page; f. 17r-84v: two numbered texts - 1-269 and 3 blank - to a page) within 3 types of elaborate woodcut borders: (1): decorated border on all the verso's; (2): elaborate border with putti in the top border, the one to the left holding a banner with the text "Il Gagliardello", the one to the right with the banner with "Scrittore in Fior."; two nude writing masters holding quills and writing utensils as caryatids left and right; (3) idem, with putti and two griffins in the top border holding the same banners and two nude 'writing mistresses' at either side. Types 2 and 3 alternating on the recto's. (84) lvs.

Extremely rare enlarged second - and best - edition of an Italian writing master's book giving 8 unnumbered full-page and 269 numbered half page writing examples of 'Soprascritte', openings of letters to the pope, cardinals, patriarchs, ambassadors, nuncio's, (arch)bishops, canons, abbots, monks, nuns, fraters, emperors, kings, queens, earls, dukes, lawyers, councils, physicians, painters, sculptors, officers, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, friends, widows, etc. etc., arranged in pairs on a page with oblongs of black lines, these in turn being surrounded by an abstract border. This guide to the correct way of addressing dignitaries of church and state was apparently highly successful, filling a definite need in a status-conscious age, for it went into a second, augmented edition in the same year the first edition had appeared, in 1583.
The very important 20 pp. of type-set preliminaries (f. 2r-12v, also augmented in this second edition) include detailed information on each of the forms of addresses given.
After the dedication by Gagliardelli to Francesco and Lorenzo Salvati, dated Florence, 12 January 1583 (f. 2r, verso blank), the preface on f. 3, and the Privilege of Granduca Francesco I, dated 21 January 1582 (= 1583; f. 4r, verso blank), the 'Tavola' is on f. 5r-11v. On f. 12r the 31 additional examples for the second edition are listed ("Aggiunta della seconda stampa"). The last number being 267, whereas in our copy there are two more examples: nrs. 268-269 - which are not found recorded: apparently our copy belongs to an unrecorded issue of the second edition! At the end there are 3 spaces open on the last leaf, filled in by a contemporary hand with three additional examples in our copy.
On the same page (f. 12r) Gagliardelli states that there are eight different scripts in use in Italy, giving eight letters in eight different shapes in a woodcut scheme. He emphasizes the importance of inscriptional letters, and praises three of his contemporaries: Francesco da Monterchi, Cesare Moreggio and above all Cresci. The 277 addresses are neatly written in a cancery cursive hand with the addition of spiral flourishes, related to Cresci's Essemplare models.

The book is so rare that we could trace only one incomplete copy of the first edition with 236 numbered examples in the Newberry library in Chicago; in the same library there is apparently also a copy of the second edition: with 24 pp. and 275 examples: = 8 + 267 (our copy has 8 + 269 = 277 examples). Other copies found: Berlin (incomplete copy of the second ed.), University Library, Amsterdam and British Library (second ed.?).
Our copy is from the library of the famous book collector Hippolyte Destailleur (see ref.): his bookplate is pasted to the back of the front cover.
Very good complete copy from a famous library.- (Some spotting, some corners a little bit thumbed, some lvs. repaired (f.e. a hole in f. 14)).
Bonacini 653; Casamassima XVIII, p. 94; Morison, Early Italian writing books, p. 123-4; Johnson, Bibliogr. of Italian writing books, p. 43; Osley, Luminario, p. 99 and fig. 69; Berlin Kat. 5192 (incompl. copy, only examples 1-260); Pouget, Dict. des chifres; Auction cat. Hippolyte Destailleur (April 1891): Catalogue de livres rares et précieux (Paris 1891), lot 867.

Related Subjects: 16th Century  Calligraphy  Italy 

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