"The great library of Charles Spencer, third Earl of Sunderland (1674-1722)," Seymour de Ricci writes in his 1930 study of English Collectors of Books and Manuscripts, "contained only a few manuscripts and some 20,000 printed books: it was particularly strong in incunabula (many being printed on vellum)." The Aldine Petrarch, a 1501 edition of the Rime, is a post-incunable. ("Incunables," or "incunabula," are printed books that date from before 1501; "post-incunables" date from 1501 to about 1520.) But this copy, "post" or not, comes from the Sunderland Library at Blenheim, is indeed printed on vellum, and is also a very pretty piece of early printed bookmaking from the press of Aldo Manuzio, one of the greatest printers of his time.
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Title of collection item
Le cose volgari de Messer Francesco Petrarcha.
Leaf/page/opening info
Title page
Date info
Venice: Aldo Manuzio, 1501. Printed on vellum.
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Dedicatory Inscription
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Cornell University Library
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single page
Title of collection item
Le cose volgari de Messer Francesco Petrarcha.
Leaf/page/opening info
Colophon
Date info
Venice: Aldo Manuzio, 1501. Printed on vellum.
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The section obliterated in green is Aldus' statement on the editorial work of Pietro Bembo. Aldus continues, emphasizing that "Under penalty, our illustrious state [Venice] has forbidden that any other edition be issued for ten years."
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Cornell University Library
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single page
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