Alighieri, Dante - Dante Aligieri's comedy with... Lot 16

Alighieri, Dante - Dante Aligieri's comedy with the new exhibition by Alessandro Vellutello. Venice, for Francesco Marcolini at the request of Alessandro Vellutello, 1544. In 4°. Numerous woodcut illustrations, text framed by the commentary, some handwritten notes, small spot on fol. T8, c. X1 with small hole in the lower margin, small tear with gap in the outer white margin of c. AD2, small lossless tear in the white margin of c. AM8, small hole in the white margin of cc. BH5 and 7, restoration on fols. BH8 and BI1, c. BI7 with small gaps in the upper margin, last white leaf missing, light water stains, a few slightly browned leaves, some light foxing and redness, later period full parchment binding, author, title and typographical data within a double blue block on the spine, elegant gold friezes, gilt chiseled edge, slight defects. Membership note dated 1628 on the title page. SPECIALIST NOTESFamous and illustrious edition, the first with the commentary by Vellutello and the marvelous engravings by Marcolini. For the illustrations, perhaps due to Marcolini himself, a skilled draftsman and friend of Titian, it was taken as a model by all the subsequent illustrated editions of the Comedy. Gamba, 387: ''Beautiful edition, adorned with elegant wood carvings''; De Batines I, p.82: ''Beautiful and rare edition numbered among the rare''; Sander 2823; farmhouses 72; Mambelli 30: ''Original and highly sought-after edition of the Vellutello exhibition''; Adams D94; Mortimer Italian, 146; Essling I:2, i, 545; Brunet II, 503.