BEMBO Pietro Gli Asolani.

Renouard, Alde, 72:5 ; Ahmanson-Murphy, 134 ; Adams, B-575.

Second Aldine edition, published with the preface to Lucretia Borgia.

The préface was suppressed from most of the copies of first 1505 edition as stated by Renouard : “supprimée dans la plupart des exemplaires de la première [de 1505]”. This was one of the great editorial successes if which Bembo edited two more editions, one in 1530, and the last in 1540.

Fine edition printed by Aldus Manutius’ successor, Andrea Asolano.

Provenance 

This copy has belonged to the celebrated collection assembled by Joseph-Antoine Crozat (1696-1751, collection sale in 1751, lot 1860) and bears the collector’s signature at the bottom of the title page. Fine copy, rubricated. Other provenance: unidentified book plate (monogram ‘APL’).