VALLA, Giorgio (1447-1500, translator).

Sold
£ 6 048
Auction dateClassic
13.07.2022 10:30UTC +01:00
Auctioneer
CHRISTIE'S
Event location
United Kingdom, London
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 794575
Lot 177 | VALLA, Giorgio (1447-1500, translator).
VALLA, Giorgio (1447-1500, translator).

Commentationes. In Ptolomei quadripartitum inque Ciceronis partitiones [et] Tusculanas questiones ac Plinij Naturalis historie librum secundu[m]. Venice: Simon Bivilaqua, 1502.

Rare first edition of a commentary on Ptolemy’s influential astronomical treatise, Tetrabiblos. Valla was a professor of classical languages at Venice, specialising in Greek scientific literature, and formed a splendid library which was acquired by Alberto Pio. The Commentationes was translated by Valla into Latin from an anonymous manuscript, the Greek original of which was not published until 1559. Adams V-151.



Folio (293 x 203mm). Several astronomical woodcuts in the text (first leaf slightly soiled, a few faint marginal stains). 18th-century mottled half sheep over boards, spine gilt (minor wormholes). Provenance: Jesuit College, Bologna (inscription) – ‘Co. Riccati’ (18th-century bookplate of the Riccati family, which included the mathematicians Jacopo Riccati (1676-1754) and his son Vincenzo Riccati (1707-1775)) – erasure on title.





Special notice


No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
13.07.2022 – 13.07.2022
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

Related terms