Opera nova intitulata: il perché, utilissima ad intendere le cagioni de molte cose, et maximamente alla conseruatione della sanità: et phisionomia: et virtù delle herbe. Novamente emendata, e purgata di errori inumerabili e nel primo essere suo ridutta.
Venezia: (Giovanni Padovano), 1540. Item #1218 - Venezia, 1540. $ 1,500.00 8vo. 155 x 101 mm., [6 x 4 inches]. [16], 128 leaves. Bound in 18th century vellum spine over marbled paper boards; title in manuscript on the spine; paper stock uniformly brown with age. Uncommon Italian language edition, originally published in Latin in 1474, of this popular encyclopedia which enjoyed vast success. The main topic covered is gastronomy and the nature of food and drink. Valuable for instruction to making popular cuisine. The book is divided into two parts: the first illustrates the means to preserve health, the second is aimed at clarifying various questions, concerning in particular the parts of the De Simone Company, Booksellers human body that are affected by diet and well-being. Manfredi also discusses the eating habits of his time and offers today’s reader insight into available food stuff for the 15th century public, recommendations for a balance diet and some discussion of exercise. “The first edition of Manfredi’s encyclopedia was published in Bologna in 1474, and the second at Naples in 1478. The author asks some two thousand questions to each one he volumteers at least one reply. The first of the eight books of the encyclopedia deals exclusively with food and the second with wine.” (Simon) Lord Westbury, Handlist of Italian Cookery Books, p. 142. Paleari Henssler, Maria. Bibliografia Latino-Italiana di Gastronomia. 1998., p. 460. André Simon, Bibliotheca Gastronomica, 995.
Price: $1,500.00