Bessarion, In calumniatorem Platonis libri quatuor, Venice, Aldus, 1503, contemporary Roman brown morocco

Bessarion, Joannes, Cardinal. Quae hoc in volumine tractantur. Bessarionis cardinalis Niceni, & Patriarchae Constantinopolitani in calumniatorem Platonis libri quatuor… Eiusdem correctio librorum Platonis de legibus Georgio Trapezuntio interprete… Eiusdem de natura & arte adversus eundem Trapezuntium tractatus… Index eorum omnium. (Venice: Aldo Manuzio, July 1503)

First Aldine edition, based on the 1469 Sweynheym and Pannartz edition, but with the addition of the summary of book three taken from a manuscript of Bessarion's, according to Aldo's preface.

A Nicolas Badoche of Liège, a canon of Liège Cathedral and apostolic protonotary, is recorded as the nephew of Érard de la Marck (1472-1538, Prince-Bishop of Liège); he spent time in Rome as agent for his uncle. A few of the binding tools can be seen on Davis Gift 264, also dated to Rome, ca. 1520.

Folio (311 x 210 mm). Roman and some Greek type, 57 lines plus headline. collation: a-p⁸: 112 leaves. Woodcut Aldine device on title-page, later painted border around first page of text, a few early marginal annotations. (Occasional marginal wormholes and scattered soiling.)

binding: Contemporary brown morocco (316 x 222 mm), probably Roman, richly blind-tooled with title lettered across head of upper cover OPERA BESSARIONIS [C]AR NICENI and owner's name D. NICOLAUS BADOCHE at head of lower cover, manuscript lettering to edges of text block, lower flyleaf with a watermark of a hand surmounted by a star (dating to Rome, not after 1527). (Rebacked with new pastedowns but retaining original flyleaves, edges repaired, front hinge starting, extremities rubbed, a few wormholes.)

provenance: Nicolaus Badoche, name stamped on lower cover — old signature on title-page. acquisition: Purchased from Lathrop C. Harper, New York, 1971. references: UCLA 75; Aldo Manuzio tipografo 77; Edit16 5644; Renouard 40/5