Catalogues Librorum Omnium Tam Veterum, Quam Recentiorum, Que Venales Reperiuntur.
(Venice): A. Zatta, 1780. Item #970 Inventory catalogue documenting a part of the Zatta business enterprise. The catalogue includes over 3,000 titles, with printed prices that reflect much of what was printed by members of the Italian printing trade during the third quarter of the 18th century. Zatta distributed books in all fields of history, literature, science, natural history, religion, and the classics. There are numerous books on geography, topography, travel, and cartography, a group of subjects which reflects one of the Zatta’s main areas of interest. The catalogue also includes an 8 pp. list of French books for sale, a list of engraved views and portraits, and a list of engraved maps and charts, many of which were produced at Zatta’s print shop. Tracking the catalogues of books for sale issued by Antonio Zatta, the Venetian printer, publisher, and cartographer, reveals scant information on the extent of his commercial practices over the nearly forty years he was in business. For a printer of such stature, a leader in the publication of atlases and maps, especially of the Americas, the publisher of the works of Goldoni, the printer of luxurious editions of Dante, Tasso, Metastasio, and numerous illustrated festival books, little has been written and finding information about the scope of his business is difficult. The ICCU (Italian Union Catalogue) records that Zatta’s first catalogue of books for sale was issued in 1761 in 72 pp. and known in one copy at the public library in Rovereto. This was followed by a 1763 catalogue of about 200 pages and a 1767 catalogue of 204 pp., each also known in one copy at the same library. OCLC list the 1763 catalogue (Rovereto) and adds a 1774 catalogue of 312 pp. known in copies at Oxford, Harvard, and BN España. OCLC also lists this 1780 catalogue of 307 pp. and cites copies at the BN France, and the Morgan, Huntington, and Newberry libraries. NUC lists the 1780 copy at Newberry only and along with the Grolier Club adds a 1798 catalogue of books for sale which is part of the Smithsonian’s rare book collection. A statement about Zatta’s published catalogue cited in his biography in the DBI reads, “Cataloghi degli assortimenti di Zatta (1761, 1763, 1765, 1768, 1774, 1770, 1780, 1787, 1791, 1798).” All are rare. Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, V. 100. Laterza, Dizionario enciclopedico della letteratura italiana, V, p. 515.
12 mo. 172 x 95 mm., [6 ½ x 3 ¾ inches]. cccvii, [3 blank] pp. Contemporary paste-paper boards, laces visible; boards lightly soiled, otherwise an excellent copy.
Price: $3,250.00