Lettere sui primi libri a stampa di alcone citta' e terre dell' Italia Superiore. Lettere Prima. Monumenti della tipografia Genovese nel secolo XV. Lettere Secondo. Primi monumenti della Pavese e Bresciana tipografia, nuovamente scoperti.
Venezia: Stamperia di Carlo Palese, 1794. Item #73
Small folio. 240 x 192 mm. (11 x 8 inches). cxxxii pp. Illustrated with 3 engraved vignettes by Francesco Novelli. Contemporary decorated paste-paper boards, some minor wear but a very good, sound copy in an original binding. Inscribed by the author in brown ink.
First Edition. This work on early printing in Genoa, Pavia, and Brescia is Boni's attempt to arrange in chronological order the books that come the presses in these three cities. He records and describes 125 titles and provides bibliographical reference to support his attributions. This work is fully indexed and is beautifully printed by Carlo Palese, and illustrated with high quality engravings by Novelli.
Mauro Boni (1746-1817), was one of Italy's most industrious bibliographers and antiquaries working in the second half of the 18th century. Educated by the Jesuits in the classics and theology, Boni demonstrated an appetite for research and a willingness to collaborate, that created many opportunities for him to participate with many of most notable literary figures of the time. His collaboration with Bartolomeo Gamba to create an Italian edition of Harwood's Views on the Various Editions of the Greek and Roman Classics, resulted in a much expanded text listing over 7500 titles.
Bigmore & Wyman, A Bibliography of Printing, I, p. 70. Besterman, World Bibliography of Bibliographies, 3424 and 853.
Price: $1,750.00