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One of the few illustrated books printed by Bodoni, splendidly bound

[ROSSI, Giovanni Gherardo de].
Scherzi poetici e pittorici.
(Colophon: Parma, Giambattista Bodoni, 1795). 8vo (22 x 14 cm). With engraved title-page and 40 engraved plates (plate size: ca. 7 x 11 cm). Richly gold-tooled red morocco by Rémy Petit (active 1855-1900), spine with 5 raised bands resulting in 6 compartments, one with black title-label and the other five gold-tooled with black oval inlays; the sides with gilt triple fillet borders, corner ornaments with same oval inlays and a central oval ornament (gold on green); further with gilt fillets on board edges and richly gold-tooled turn-ins with a floral motive, gilt edges. [52] ll.
€ 7,200
One of the several issues of the elegant first edition of a collection of allegorical poetry by the playwright, poet and scholar Giovanni Gherardo de Rossi (1754-1827), containing epigrams, sonnets and other poems dedicated to love, featuring Venus and Cupid. It is one of the few illustrated books printed by Bodoni.
The engravings are by the notable Italian artist Francesco Rosaspina after José Teixeira Barreto and appear here in a later state, with much more added detail and uncoloured. Bodoni printed many variants of this book in different formats and with different states and colouring of the plates.
The book is splendidly bound by the Parisian binder Rémy Petit who was active from 1855 till at least 1900. He had a binding on exposition on the Exposition Universelle of 1867 and is known to have made bindings for Victor Hugo.
Fine copy with only a couple minor specks, some faint thumbing in the lower right corner of the first poem and a minor water stain (14 x 0.5 cm), only visible on the back of the second plate. The binding in fine condition as well, with some negligible rubbing to the ends of the spine and the corners of the boards. Attractive copy, only slightly trimmed. Brooks 601; for the binder: R. Devauchelle, La reliure en France III, p. 275; Flety, p. 143.
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Book history, education, learning & printing  >  Bindings | Book History, Calligraphy & Printing
Europe  >  France, Greece & Italy
Literature & linguistics  >  Emblem, Fable & Songbooks | Literature & Linguistics