Strada, Kunstliche und aigentliche bildtnussen der Rhömischen Keyseren, Zurich, 1558, contemporary German calf gilt

Strada, Jacopo. Kunstliche und aigendtliche bildtnussen der Rhömischen Keyseren, ihrer weybern und kindern, auch anderer verrümpten personen, wie die auff alten pfennigen erfunden sind, sampt ainer kurtzen beschreybung ihrens härkommens, läbens und abschaids, auss den aller bewärtesten geschichtschreybern allenthalben zusamen getragen, auss dem Latin jetz neuwlich vertheutst durch Diethelmen Kellern burger zu Zürych. Zurich: Andreas Gessner, 1558

First German translation of Strada's survey of coins and medals, Epitome thesauri antiquitatum, made by Diethelm Keller, who also made use of Rouillé's Promptuaire des médailles (Bibliotheca Brookeriana I, 11 October 2023, lot 78, was a volume containing both Strada and Rouillé's numismatical works). The woodcuts were copied from the 1553 Lyon editions (lot 619).

The binding was plausibly made by Christoph Heusler of Nuremberg (see Europäische Einbandkunst 47, two bindings made for Georg Römer, with the same corner stamp, lots 441 and 527) or Caspar Horneffer of Augsburg (EBDB w004241, who used the central oval stamp).

8vo (187 x 120 mm). Gothic type, 39 lines. collation: α⁸ A-Z⁸ a-y⁸: 368 leaves. Woodcut printer's device on title-page, woodcut initials, white-on-black woodcuts of coins. (A few small stains.)

binding: Contemporary south German gilt-tooled calf over thin wooden boards (194 x 134 mm), central oval arabesque stamp with corner fleurons within a gilt arabesque frame, plain spine, plain edges, stubs from two pairs of ties. In green drop-backed folding box. (Binding rubbed, upper joint cracked, spine chipped at ends, lacking front flyleaf.)

provenance: Hanns Gebhardt, early inscription on inside front cover — Arturo Dazza (died 2010, of Vercelli), bookplate (some of his bindings sold at Bloomsbury, Rome, 6 December 2006) — Reiss & Sohn, Königsberg im Taunus, sale, 26 October 2010, lot 1180. acquisition: Purchased at the preceding sale. references: Dekesel S73; VD16 S 9365