PLINY the Elder

Historiae naturalis libri xxxvii. aptissimis figuris exculti ab Alexandro Benedicto Ve[netiano]. physico emendatiores redditi.

      [colophon:] Venice, Melchiorre Sessa, 20 August 1513 Folio (310 x 215 mm), ff [14] 219 [1, blank]; roman letter, two columns, title printed in red and black, with Sessaís woodcut cat and mouse device (Kreisteller 295), small Sessa device of orb and cross on a black ground (Kreisteller 297) after colophon and register on f 219, woodcut inscription from the tomb of Plinyís parents on aa2 verso, 37 woodcuts, one to each book, designed for the text, white-on-black initials, the large initials with putti, birds, and animals, the small initials with flowers; faint waterstain in upper margin, margins of last two gatherings a little frayed, a couple of minor marginal wormholes, sewing a little loose, a very attractive, crisp copy in contemporary German blindstamped vellum over wooden boards, the binding with central panel and borders all with floral tools, a little worn. £12,000 First illustrated edition of Plinyís Natural History and an outstanding piece of book design from Sessaís press. Plinyís work was the greatest encyclopaedia of knowledge of the natural world in the classical era, dealing with mathematics, physics, geography, astronomy, medicine, physiology, zoology, botany, geology, anthropology, the arts and letters, etc. It was the major source of medieval knowledge of natural history, and a central text in the Renaissance. The authority of Pliny in matters concerning the natural sciences dominated Western learning for over 1500 years. The 37 woodcuts, one at the head of each book or chapter, were especially designed for this edition. They include a representation of Pliny writing his book, a diagram of the cosmos, a map of Europe and the Mediterranean, depictions of fabulous creatures, a map of Africa, cannibals, elephants, lions, giraffes, sea serpents, apothecaries preparing medicines, figures being fumigated with woodsmoke, a swineherd harvesting acorns for his swine, gardeners grafting trees, the harvesting of grapes, the preparation of flax, gardeners growing melons, beekeeping, a man being given a head massage with aromatic oils, the use of herbs in medicine and sanitation, medicine from animals (including a cupping administered by an elephant), musicians, a painter painting, a sculptor carving a statue, conjurors, mineral baths, mining and panning for gold, and many more scenes. See Essling for full details of the subjects of all the cuts. ëAn artistís signature in the form of a column appears on blocks for books 7, 25, and 26; at book 26, the column has a star on the top. These three blocks also have a slightly different border, the corners being joined by diagonals to form a frameí (Mortimer). The text was edited by Alessandro Beneditti (d. 1512) Provenance: several early inscriptions and signatues on front and rear pastedowns, one signed J. V. Rechberg; title inscription ëEx libris Jacobi Rieggerii ... 1544í (Reiggerius of Freiberg im Brisgau); monastic inscription dated 1733 from Freiberg im Brisgau BM STC (Italian) p 526; Mortimer 388 (note to 1516 edition, which uses most of the same blocks); Durling 3687; Essling I n 4; Sander 5760; Wellcome 5114