Cicero (Marcus Tullius)

Orationum volumen primum [-tertium].

      Venice: in Aedibus aldi, et Andreae Soceri. , 1519 - first text gathering in vol. i bound between * and ** of prelims., final two blanks discarded in each vol., vol. ii title and last leaf of vol. iii (blank except for Aldine logo, here hand-outlined in red) reinforced, a little repaired worming to first and last few leaves, small paper flaw to one gathering in vol. ii, titles a bit soiled, a few spots elsewhere, a little early marginalia and underlining, but generally clean, early ownership inscription of Amedeus Puteus to last leaf in vols. i and iii, pencilled inscription and purchase note of Hugh F. Boyd (1893) to initial blank, ff. [viii], 8, [4], 9-305, [1]; [4], 281, [1]; [4], 275, [3], 8vo., turn-of-the-twentieth-century purple fine-pebble-grain morocco by Mackenzie, with their stamp, backstrips with five raised bands, gilt-lettered direct in second and third compartments, gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers, a.e.g., just a little rubbed at extremities, good The first Aldine edition of the Orations of Cicero, part of a project to produce editions of all of Cicero?s works started by Aldus Manutius just before his death and finished (in octavo instead of the originally-planned quarto format) by Andreas Asula. ?Trés belles éditions? (Renouard). The early inscription of ?Amedeus Puteus? suggests Amedeo dal Pozzo (1579-1644), marchese di Voghera, a noted Turin-based art collector; the annotations are probably also his. Later this copy was sold at auction in October 1893 (from the collection of H. Munster(?)), and was purchased by Hugh Fenwick Boyd QC of the Inner Temple, son of Edward F.-B. of Moor House, Durham, and brother of Julia Boyd, whose interest in natural history led to a book on Thomas Bewick and an important bequest to the Hancock Museum in New Zealand. (CNCE 12211; Adams C1850; Renouard 1519 #1-3; Goldsmid 155-157; Dibdin I 440; Moss 289) [Attributes: First Edition; Hard Cover]