Beschreibung:

VALERIANUS, Joannes Pierius (1477-1558) De fulminum significationibus. Rome: Antonio Blado, [not before 1 August 1517]. Rare deluxe copy printed on vellum, with bibliophile provenance. An Italian humanist, student of Valla, Sabellico, and Lascaris, and scholar-corrector at the Aldine Press, Valeriano devoted himself to images and iconography. The present early work treats of the significance of weather for super- and natural events, including a discussion of the Etruscan cosmological system. Valeriano enjoyed the patronage of the Medici, was appointed tutor to the nephews of Pope Leo X, and in his dedication here to Cardinal Giulio de' Medici, he refers to the thunderstorm around Pope Leo's almost unprecedented creation of 31 cardinals in July 1517, saying that it portended peace or at least an end to hostilities. This is the second work printed by Blado and this copy was previously owned by noted bibliophiles. ‘Sir John Heyford Thorold was a truly great collector’ (de Ricci. p 160). Bernoni, Dei Torresani, Blado, e Ragazzoni, p.335, no.1, 'rarissima'; EDIT CNCE 23955; Van Praet, Bibl. du Roi, VI, p.124:5, Bib. Nat. III, p.5:6; Norton, p.95. Octavo in fours (144 x 95mm). Printed on vellum, italic type, full-page woodcut diagram of the Etruscan 16-part cosmological system (small red underlining, some yellowing). English 19th-century blue morocco tooled in gilt and blind, wide gilt and blind tooled turn-ins, pink watered silk liners, vellum flyleaves, gilt edges (lightly rubbed at hinges). Provenance: Sir John Thorold, Syston Park (1773-1831; bookplates; sale Sotheby's, 12 December 1884, lot 1984 'excessively rare') – Robert Honeyman (sale Sotheby's, 20 May 1981, lot 3019).