DALLA CORTE (Girolamo), gentil'huomo Veronese. L'Istoria di - Lot 128

DALLA CORTE (Girolamo), gentil'huomo Veronese. L'Istoria di Verona. Very rare, one of the first histories entirely devoted to the city of Verona, bound in the arms of the Duc de La Force (1675-1726), peer of France, academician and politician. Verona, Nella Stamparia di Girolamo Discepolo, 1594, 1592. Two volumes in-4 ( 195x155 mm), full brown marbled calf. Coat of arms in the center of the boards, ribbed spine, two red morocco parts, caissons with crowned numeral. Early 18th century binding. 12pp.n.ch., 685pp. 67 pp.n.ch. ; 753 [i.e. 733, the pagination jumps from page 647 to 668, without loss of text], 61pp. nc.ch. Leather faded, cracked in places, spine blackened, rubbing from use, corners bumped, on vol. 1 the head-cap flattened, on vol. 2 a micro fragment of the head-cap is missing. Very rare first edition, printed in Verona, with the title adorned with the mark of the printer Discepolo and his motto "l'industrie vient à l'aide de la fortune" ("Industry comes to the aid of fortune"). Meticulously printed with round and italic characters, text embellished with woodcut typographical ornaments. An important history of the city, covering events from its foundation to the end of the 16th century. Originally intended to comprise twenty-two books, the work was interrupted by the author's untimely death, with the result that it was never completed and now comprises only twenty books. A second edition was published in Venice in 1744. A rare and highly sought-after work. Provenance of the libraries of the Duc de la Force (bound with coat of arms and cipher); Alberto-Francesco Floncel, avocat au Parlement de Paris (glued bookplate); Ferdinand de [...?] (handwritten bookplate on title). A fresh, clean copy of prestigious provenance.