Erizzo, Discorso sopra le medaglie antiche, Venice, 1559, red morocco, Laubespine-Colbert copy

Erizzo, Sebastiano. Discorso di m. Sebastiano Erizzo, sopra le medaglie antiche, con la particolare dichiaratione di molti riversi, nuovamente mandato in luce. Venice: Vincenzo Valgrisi, 1559

First edition of this important early work on numismatics. For an almost identical binding with the Laubespine arms, see lot 439.

8vo (159 x 100 mm). Roman and italic types. collation: a⁸ b⁴ A-Z⁸ Aa-Ff⁸ G⁴: 248 leaves (last leaf blank). Woodcut printer’s device on title, woodcut illustrations of medals. (Occasional slight browning.)

binding: Parisian red morocco armorial binding (164 x 112 mm), made for a member of the Laubespine family (possibly by the Binder of the Maioli Aesop?), concentric frames of blind and silver fillets with silver fleurons at corners, arms in centre in an oval [Olivier 1553], spine with silver lettering and foliate stamps in compartments, edges silvered, stubs from two pairs of ties. In modern drop-backed box with clear perspex sides. (Spine ends and joints repaired, a few other repairs, upper joint cracked.)

provenance: Laubespine family, arms on binding (possibly François de Laubespine, died ca 1572) — Ex libris B(?) Charpy, sixteenth-century inscription on title — Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683), Minster of France, Bibliotheca Colbertina inscription on title, sale, Paris, 1728, lot 11544 — Comte Chandon de Briailles, booklabel (with manuscript date 1940, indicating François Chandon de Briailles, 1892-1953), sale, Paris, 2 December 1954, lot 113 — Michel DeBry, bookplate, sale, Bibliothèque d’un humaniste, Ader, Paris, 5 December 1966, lot 70 — Pierre Berès, catalogue 93, 2005. acquisition: Purchased in 2005 from Pierre Berès, Paris. references: Dekesel E29; Edit16 18273; USTC 828356