Bruni, Leonardo, 1369-1444. Polybius. Leonardo Aretino.

Polybii Historici de primo bello Punico Leonardo Aretino interprete. Libri tres. Leonardi Aretini de temporibus suis Liber Unus. Plutarchi parallelia Guarino Veronensi paraphraste opusculum aureum. [Polybius. Historiae. Liber I.]

      [Paris]: Venundantur ab Ascensio & Ioanne Parvo, [1512 Jan. 28]. [Jean Petit, fl. 1492-1530, bookseller]. Printer: Josse Badiu Folio, 278x198mm. XL leaves. In later old, dark-brown half calf with marbled sides, rubbed, with a little loss of the marbling and a little loss of calf on the corners. Front pastedown has small manuscript reference number in top foredge corner 'Panzer. vn. 561. 52i' with bookplate of 'Georgius Kloss, M.D. | Francofurti ad Moenum' (George Kloss, 1787-1854, of Frankfurt, was a doctor of medicine and one of the major Masonic historians of the nineteenth century); there is an armorial bookplate below: 'Summa Peto | L. A. Burd'. Inner hinges strengthened at some time with white paper tape. Small stamp 'Repton School Library' in top foredge forner of front free endpaper. The colophon of Josse Badius is on the title-page; it incorporates three figures around a printing press with 'Prelu Ascesianu' at head and a monogram with 'JB' at foot. Folios III-VI bound out of order but all present. Small ink mark at top edge of verso of Folio XL. Superb woodcut initials throughout. Wonderfully crisp and clean. Extremely rare. Adams, P1804. The only copies we have been able to find are: British Library shelfmark 586.i.4(2).; Cambridge, Corpus Christi College: Parker Library EP.R.9(2); imperfect: first two leaves wanting; Bibliotheque National de France FRBNF31131870; and GBV, Union Catalog Northern Germany. (Digital photographs may be available on request.)