Beschreibung:

APPIANUS (c.100-c.170). Historia Romana . - De bellis civilibus . Translated by Petrus Candidus Decembrius (1399-1477). Venice: Bernhard Maler (Pictor), Erhard Ratdolt and Peter Löslein, 1477. 2 parts in one volume, royal half-sheet 4° (220 x 189mm). Collation: I: a-i 1 0 k-n 8 o 1 0 (a1 blank, a2 Decembrio's address to Pope Nicholas V, a3 text, o10r colophon, o10v blank); II: a-c 1 0 d 1 2 e-x 1 0 (a1 blank, a2 Decembrio's address to Alfonso of Aragon, a3 contents, a4 De bellis civilibus , x10r second colophon, x10v blank). 131 leaves (of 132, without blank a1); 212 leaves (g4.7 reversed and misbound between u7,8). 31-33 lines with shoulder notes. Type: 1:109R. Full woodcut white-vine border to first title, three-sided woodcut white-vine border to second title printed in red, woodcut white-on-black initials in two sizes. (Cropped with loss to both title borders, heavy waterstaining throughout, some worming at inner margins, b10 in first part almost detached, e5-6 of second part detached, block split leaving quire u almost detached.) 19th-century German half calf (spine worn at head and foot, board edges rubbed). Provenance : George ?Nessele, Presbyter (inscription on front pastedown) -- Count Oswald Seilern (sale Christie's, 26 March 2003). FIRST COMPLETE EDITION. Appian's Greek narratives, describing Roman wars from the earliest times to the accession of Vespasian, were written in 24 books and survived in 10 with portions of others. Pier Candido Decembrio, his humanist translator, divided the surviving books into two parts; part two only was first printed by Vindelinus de Spira in 1472. This edition is one of Ratdolt's earliest Venetian imprints, and contains the first use of both woodcut border pieces. The second border is printed in red; most copies have both borders printed in black. H *1307; BMC V, 244 (IB. 20484-7); GW 2290; Polain(B) 284; IGI 763; Essling 221; Redgrave 3-4; Sander 482; Goff A-928.