CERVANTES, Miguel de and NOVILIERS CLAVEL, Guillaume-Alexand - Lot 146

CERVANTES, Miguel de and NOVILIERS CLAVEL, Guillaume-Alexandre (trans.). Il Novelliere Castigliano. Nel quale, mescolandosi lo stile grave co'l faceto, si narrano avvenimenti curisoli, casi strani e successi degni d'ammiratione. An excellent mid-18th-century manuscript copy of the only Italian translation of these Nouvelles Exemplaires, which survived into the 19th century. S.l. [Italy], 1745. 1 volume in-4, full vellum, smooth spine decorated with double horizontal fillets and gilt fleurons, vellum title-piece, fillet framed in cold on the boards, blue speckled edges. 299 handwritten leaves in black ink (237 x 165 mm), ruled and framed with a double fillet; each page of 24 cursive lines, the last of 7 lines. Attractive title-frontispiece depicting an ornamental cartouche supported by two cherubs. Spine browned, a few small spots on boards, headbands rubbed, bottom corner of first board dulled, some foxing in margins, rare ink stains. Small label pastedown at head of spine. Manuscript copy dated 1745 of Guillaume-Alexandre Noviliers Clavel's translation of Cervantes' Nouvelles Exemplaires. Published in 1626, this was the first Italian edition, and the only one until the early 19th century. In this collection of 12 short stories, the Italian influence on the Spanish master's narrative is particularly evident in the so-called "idealist" stories. This may explain the interest that led our copyist to reproduce this translation. Fine bookplate printed by Devambez of Chilean writer Karlos Newman, a proponent of "ortografía rrazional", a reform based on spoken language; John Grover's bookplate with the motto "Le Roy, la Loy, la Foy". Very fine traveler's manuscript.