PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74) - photo 1
PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74) - photo 2
PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74) - photo 3
PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74) - photo 4

PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74)

Lot 68
09.07.2025 10:30UTC +01:00
Classic
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CHRISTIE'S
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1450524
Lot 68 | PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74)
Estimate value
£ 40 000 – 60 000
PETRARCA, Francesco (1304-74)
[Canzonieri:] Le cose volgari. [Lyons: printed for Balthazar de Gabiano?, c.1508].
Among the rarest Aldinianae: a Lyons counterfeit edition printed on vellum. Aldus printed Petrarca’s Canzonieri in 1501 as an early component of his programme providing texts in small formats as libri portatiles suited to a wide range of reading public, as well as scholars. It was the first vernacular text printed in italic type and joined editions of Vergil, Dante, Juvenal and Terence among his earliest italic octavos. These Aldine editions were almost immediately printed in counterfeit editions at Lyons with italic type closely imitating Aldine’s and associated with Balthazar de Gabiano. This is the second of two Lyons counterfeit editions of Petrarch. Both are page-for-page reprints including the index but without the final quire (containing Aldus's letter to the reader and the colophon) and this c.1508 edition is distinguished by having printed foliation.

Lyons Aldine counterfeits on vellum are exceptionally rare. Kemp counts no more than 20 copies of all Lyons counterfeits printed during the most prolific period of 1502-10, and we find only two (Dante sold in 2024 and Philostratus sold in 1967) in auction records. Renouard cites a vellum copy of this Petrarca edition in the Hohendorf catalogue of 1720 and a copy owned by Melzi – possibly the same copy? Van Praet (VI: 183bis) cites the Melzi copy only. Cf. Kemp, ‘Counterfeit Aldines and Italic-Letter Editions Printed in Lyons 1502-1510: Early Diffusion in Italy and France,’ Papers of The Bibliographical Society of Canada, Vol. 35, 1997, pp. 92-93). David J. Shaw, ‘The Lyons counterfeit of Aldus’s italic type: a new chronology’, In: The Italian book 1465–1800: Studies presented to Dennis E. Rhodes on his 70th birthday, British Library, 1993, 117–133, no. 31; Baudrier VII, 15; Renouard 308:18; UCLA 1136A (title reading ‘Volgari’).

Printed on vellum, octavo (143 x 90mm). With final blank A8 but a modern blank leaf z4, italic type, foliated, opening initial spaces with printed guide-letter (a few small smudges, small repair on title). 20th-century red morocco gilt by Tartagli, Florence, tooled reminiscent of a Renaissance design, spine lettered in gilt, gilt edges. Provenance: old inscription erased from title.
Place of origin:Western Europe, France, Europe
Auction house category:Books and manuscripts, Printed books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
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09.07.2025 – 09.07.2025
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