Petri Andreae Matthioli Medici Senensis Commentarii, in Libros sex Pedacii Dioscoridis Anazarbei, de Materia Medica, Adjectis quàm plurimis plantarum & animalium imaginibus, eodem authore. Venice: Vincenzo Valgrisi, 1554, folio.
FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION AND THE FIRST IN LATIN OF MATTIOLI'S IMPORTANT HERBAL, HERE HAND COLOURED AND WITH EXTENSIVE MARGINALIA BY THREE EARLY MODERN HANDS IN LATIN, SPANISH, AND ENGLISH!
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The first illustrated edition, and second overall, of Mattioli's magnum opus, one of the most prominent herbals ever printed, here beautifully coloured throughout and with extensive early modern marginalia in Latin, Spanish and English.
This edition introduces the first appearance of this very famous set of woodcuts of various plants, animals, etc, by Giorgio Liberale and Wolfgang Meyerpeck, subsequently reprinted many times throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. This set of woodcuts includes the first depiction of the tomato, the first documented example of the tomato being grown and eaten in Europe.
Similar copies have achieved strong prices at auction before, including £54,000 at Bonhams 6th October 2009 lot 55 and £49,900 at Christie's 17th March 1999 lot 56. An uncoloured copy of this edition sold at Christie's 26th April 2017 for £3,500.
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Provenance:
Early modern annotations in places throughout in both Spanish and Latin indicating early Continental ownership. The English annotations, circa the 18th century, indicate that this book was acquired on a Grand Tour as there is a transcription of the inscription found on Mattioli's tombstone in the Cathedral of Trento in this same hand. It has most likely been kept by descent in England since the 18th century. This English hand often writes rhyming couplets such as "No Poyson fear when Sage and Rue grow near", as well as the common names of each plant such as "Nightshade", "Hemlock", "Devil's home", "Opium", etc. The English hand is probably circa 1720.
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Case size: 253 x 354 mm (approx.)
Book size: 231 x 329 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[α⁴, α⁶, *⁶-**⁶, 3⁴, a-2z⁶, 2A-2N⁵]
Contemporary or near contemporary vellum binding, possibly a remboitage, with the binding possibly being supplied from another volume. Vellum a little discoloured and rubbed as typical, but generally remains very attractive and secure. Clamshell case with some minor rubbing/wear but generally very attractive. Old stain to the a4-b6 becoming progressively light such that by the end of the index it does not have much effect and is unobtrusive in the main text. Lacks 6 leaves from gathering a (1-3, 5, 7-8), with a4 and a6 present but used as pastedowns. 2N6, the final leaf, is also lacking. Old tear to pp.1, one illustration of a fish to pp.6 cut out by an early reader, Z1 torn at outer margin with minor loss of some text, marginal closed tears to F2 and G5, else very clean and bright through the text block, some colouring visible to versos as expected. Marginalia throughout, two of which are roughly contemporary, and one circa 1720.
[EDIT16 37627; Adams D-665; OCLC 1008157692].
