Genoa, Italy; Visdomini, Antonio Maria, Editor

Statuta et Decreta Communis Genuae: Quae Quam Ordinatissime

      1498. [Genoa (Italy)]. [Visdomini, Antonio Maria, Editor]. Statuta et Decreta Communis Genuae: Quae Quam Ordinatissime Diligentissime et Castigatissime ad Communem Cunctorum Genuensium Utilitantem nec non Voluptatem Impressa Sint Liquido Patebit Legentibus. [Bologna: Caligola de' Bazalieri, 30 June 1498]. [vi], 87, [1], 29, [1] fols. Collation: A6, b-l6, m4, n-o6, p-r4 (r4 blank). b-f6. Folio (12" x 8"). Later vellum, lettering piece to spine, patterned endpapers, early hand-lettered title to spine. Light soiling, corners somewhat bumped and worn, boards slightly bowed, front joint just starting at foot, front joint cracked, rear joint starting. Penultimate signature (f6) loose with light wear to fore-edges, lower portion of final leaf repaired with some loss to lower left-hand corner of colophon. Text printed in 46-line Roman type, capital spaces have guide letters. Toning, light soiling to title page, faint dampstaining to some leaves. "16.r" to head of title page, brief early annotation and ink spot to 85r, interior otherwise clean. Ex-library. Bookplate to front pastedown, shelf location in pencil to verso of front free endpaper. An appealing copy. * Only edition. Text in Latin. Along with Venice Pisa and Amalfi, Genoa was one of the maritime republics that dominated trade in the Mediterranean. In addition to Corsica, Sardinia and lands in Liguria and Piedmont, Genoa controlled colonies in the Middle East. Its fortunes declined during the fourteenth century due to the Black Death, which entered Europe through the Genoese trading post at Caffa in the Crimea, and wars with Venice, France and Milan. Genoa would later enjoy a revival of power and prosperity under the leadership of Andrea Doria, who introduced a new constitution in 1528. The 1498 compilation of Genoa's civil and criminal law was issued at a time when Genoa had suffered through nearly a century and a half of misfortune. As one would expect, its statutes and decrees indicate the many problems confronting the state and the scarcely-concealed pessimism of its leaders. KVK locates 8 copies, OCLC locates 9. Goff, Incunabula in American Libraries S714. Hain-Copinger, Repertorium Bibliographicum 15007.