BOOK, With attractive woodcuts, 1531.

Valerius Maximus:

Moralium exemplorum libri novem.

Venice, Gulielmo de Fontaneto Montisferrati sumptibus, 1531. Folio. 31 x 21 cm. [12] + 264 leaves. Title printed in red & black within composite woodcut border. With 9 woodcuts in text (on first page of each of the 9 books, c. 8 x 8 cm) and woodcut initials throughout.

Contemporary vellum, lightly worn and soiled, manuscript title on spine, ownership inscription dated 1779. Margins of first 6 leaves reinforced, paper loss 7 x 5 cm in outer corner of title expertly restored, incorporating a facsimile on old paper for this part of the woodcut frame; half of leaf p1 in very skilful facsimile, insignificant worming toward end, some old marginalia and light finger-soiling.

Valerius Maximus was a Latin writer and author of a collection of historical anecdotes, “Factorum ac dictorum memorabilium libri IX” (Nine books of memorable deeds and sayings). He was active during the reign of Tiberius (14-37 AD).

See decription.