La prima parte delle vite

Лот 29
16.10.2025 10:00UTC +01:00
Classic
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Место проведенияВеликобритания, London
Комиссияsee on Website%
ID 1471952
Лот 29 | La prima parte delle vite
Оценочная стоимость
$ 12 000 – 16 000
PLUTARCHUS (c.45–c.120). La prima parte delle vite. Translated by Baptista Alessandro Jaconello. Venice: Bernardino di Bindoni, August 1537.

Bound for Renaissance bibliophile Thomas Mahieu by Claude de Picques, with contemporary enamel. Friend of Jean Grolier (c.1489/90–1565), Thomas Mahieu (fl. 1540–1588) is one of the most prominent book collectors of early modern Europe. Mahieu was one of a number of Italian-born officers at the court of Catherine de’ Medici (1519–1589), Queen of France and consort of Henry II—with Mahieu’s name often back-Italianised to Tomasso Maioli. He served as the Queen’s secretary between 1549 and 1560 and later as one of the treasurers of France, a position previously held by Grolier (Needham 57). Both Mahieu and Grolier employed Parisian binder Claude de Picques (c.1510–c.1574/78) who around 1549 was appointed royal binder to Henry II. At this time, de Picques would have had little time for outside commissions, but at least one binding by de Picques for Mahieu (now at the Morgan Library) has been dated to c.1550–55 due to its similarities with de Picques’ concurrent work for Henry II, specifically his hatched tools (Nixon PML 20). Combined with his open tools meant to be filled with enamel (as they are on the present binding), de Picques’ hatched tools, smooth back and edges trimmed flush with the boards indicate a similar date of execution. The British Musuem, Bookbindings from the Library of Jean Grolier, catalogued by H.M. Nixon (1965); H.M. Nixon, Sixteenth-Century Gold-Tooled Bookbindings in the Pierpont Morgan Library (1971); Paul Needham, Twelve Centuries of Bookbindings (1979).

Bindoni’s vernacular edition of Plutarch features several woodcut illustrations depicting scenes from the lives of those who Plutarch profiles in his classic biography. Plutarch pairs historic Greek figures with Roman counterparts, such as Theseus and Romulus (as the respective founders of Athens and Rome), Lysander, Pompey and Alexander the Great.

12mo (150 × 100mm). Title within woodcut border containing cameos of Caeser, Cleopatra and other biographees, woodcuts throughout, full-page woodcut of Saint Peter on final leaf (occasional mostly marginal spotting and light stains, few leaves toned, tear along outer margin of 3H5, hole in 3R1).

Binding: Contemporary Parisian binding by Claude de Picques, c.1550–55, for Thomas Mahieu: brown calf over pasteboards, interlacing ribbon panel design tooled in gold on covers, hatched and open tools along edges [Nixon C. de P. 25a, 36a and 63], open tools heightened in either light or dark blue enamel, central panels with close gold dotting, “Tho. Maioli et amicorum” lettered on upper cover, turn-ins ruled with single fillet, smooth spine over five ?sawn-in bands, backstrip diced and ruled in gold, colored endbands, edges flush with boards and gilt (rebacked preserving original backstrip); modern full calf box by Tiffany & Co., velvet lined, spine lettered in gold.

Provenance: Thomas Mahieu, Italian bibliophile (fl. 1540–1588; binding) – 1774 Italian purchase note on flyleaf – 20th-century Italian armorial bookplate with motto “So volere so attendere” – Howard Lehman Goodhart (1884–1952; label; gifted to his daughter:) – [Phyllis Goodhart Gordan (1913–1994); by descent].
Адрес торгов CHRISTIE'S
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Великобритания
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02.10.2025 – 16.10.2025
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