PIUS II. Aeneae Syluii Piccolominei Senensis,... Lot n° 50

PIUS II. Aeneae Syluii Piccolominei Senensis, ... *opera quæ extant omnia ... Gnomologia. Basel, Heinrich Petri, 1571 2 parts in one volume in-folio. 300x205 mm. Magnificent coeval German binding with blind embossing on sow's leather, four-panel decoration decorated with floral and phytomorphic motifs replicated in wheel, large fleuron in center of plates, leather gusset with gold title on sinew spine, original clasps, red boards. Pages [124], 1086, [30], 2 blank. Colophon at 3Y8r paper "Basileæ ex Officina Henricpetrina ... 1571 mense Augusto." Typographic mark on title page and verso of paper with Colophon. Figured initials, round and Italic typeface. 18 woodcut-imprinted maps in text, including one full-page map. Endpaper with letterpress mark is missing. Traces of use and moisture, restorations on margins and last blank paper. Important and rare edition featuring the works of Enea Silvio Piccolomini, Pope Pius II. Also contains, from page 281, the unfinished cosmographical work describing Asia and Europe, entitled "Historia rerum ubique gestarum locorumque descriptio," accompanied by 18 maps from Muenster's Cosmografia: among them, on page 295, the full-page map of Asia. The second part, on unnumbered pages, contains 'Gnomologia ex Aeneae Syluij Piccolominei Senensis ...' a collection of sentences from the works of Pius II, edited by the French humanist and encyclopedist Conrad Lycosthenes, pseudonym of Conrad Wolffhart. Graesse II, 25, Adams P 1334; VD 16 P 3094. Two parts on a volume in folio. 300x205 mm. Magnificent contemporary German pigskin binding with blind tooling, decoration on 4 panels with floral and phytomorphic motifs replied with roll, large floral ornaments on the center of covers, leather label with gilt title on spine with nervs, original clasps, red edges. Pp. [124], 1086, [30], 2 blanks. Colophon on leaf 3Y8r "Basileæ ex Officina Henricpetrina ... 1571 mense Augusto." Printer's device on titlepage and on the verso of leaf with Colophon. Adorned initial letters, round and italic type. 18 woodcut maps in the text of which of one on full page. Lack the last leaf with printer's device. Traces of wear and humidity, restoration on margins and on the last blank. Important and rare edition with the works of Enea Silvio Piccolomini, Pope Pius II. It also contains, from page 281, the cosmographic work which remained unfinished, describing Asia and Europe, entitled "Historia rerum ubique gestarum locorumque descriptio," accompanied by 18 geographical maps taken from the Muenster Cosmography: among these, on page 295, full page map of Asia. The second part, in the unnumbered pages, contains 'Gnomologia ex Aeneae Syluij Piccolominei Senensis ...' a collection of sentences taken from the works of Pius II, edited by the French humanist and encyclopedist Conrad Lycosthenes, pseudonym of Conrad Wolffhart. Graesse II, 25, Adams P 1334; VD 16 P 3094.