Numismata Summorum Pontificum Templi Vaticani Fabricam Indicantia, Chronologica Ejusdem Fabricae Narratione, Ac Multiplici Eruditione Explicata. Atque Uberiori Numismatum Omnium Pontificiorum Lucubrationi Veluti Prodromus Praemissa, Opus Tertio Impressum Cum Correctione, & Additamento, Apartre Philippo Bonanni Societatis Jesu. Romae, MDCCXV. Ex Typographia Georgii Plachi, Apud S. Marcum. Superiorum Permissu.
The Medals of the Supreme Pontiffs Depicting the Construction of the Vatican Basilica, Explained with a Chronological Narrative of that Same Construction and with Much Learning; and Prefaced, as a Forerunner, to a More Extensive Study of All Papal Coins. A Work Printed for the Third Time with Corrections and Additions, by Father Filippo Buonanni of the Society of Jesus. Rome, 1715. From the Press of Giorgio Placho, at St. Mark’s, folio.
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VERY RARE. This magnificently illustrated folio is the greatest edition of this important account of the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. It typically sells for £1,000 - £2,000 at auction (see Christie's 15 Dec 2005 lot 303; Ketterer Kunst Nov 21 2016 lot 824, etc).
"The most valuable part of the book is the gallery of illustrations representing the church. Also Bonanni .. reuses the graphic conceptions of his precedessors, the illustrations are thoroughly consistent and uniformly formatted .. Bonanni's book is the first thorough survey of the architectural history and sculptural decoration of Saint Peter's" (Millard Coll).
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Size: 245 x 360 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(1), *4, A-Z4, 2A-2A3, 2B4, 2C6, 2D4, (1)].
Half brown calf over marbled paper backed boards with a gilt title to the spine in a compartment between raised bands, other compartments with decorative gilt. Binding lightly rubbed and scuffed. Both boards attached. Shelf and edge wear. Prominent shelf lean. Red spotted page edges somewhat dulled. Inscribed "bookends" to front blank. Two blanks bound between pp.8 and the first plate. Some small repairs to plates. Some plates are bound in the wrong order / place. Text block lightly toned with some foxing. Small number of pencil marginalia to preliminary leaves.
There are 91 plates in total; the plates are numbered, present are plates 1 to 57, 57 parts 2, 3, and 4, plates 59 to 83, and 85 to 86, as well as 3 unnumbered plates and another plate also numbered as 41. - One unnumbered plate between plates 35 and 34. One unnumbered plate following plate 43. One unnumbered plate following plate 57. WorldCat reference which calls for 93 plates in total, but Cicognara 2779 says that this "contains 86 beautifully executed plates."
[OCLC 10193320].
