PLAUTE Comediae viginti. Lyon, Sébastien Gryphe,... Lot 11

PLAUTE Comediae viginti. Lyon, Sébastien Gryphe, 1549. Fort in-16 of 1078 pp. (pages 622-624 are blank) and (5) ff : fawn morocco, framed with three fillets and large gilt decoration of interlacing and scrolls, azure fleurons in the centre, smooth spine decorated in the same way with floral scrolls at the head and tail, gilt edges, green cloth box (period binding). Neat edition of Plautus' comedies, printed in italic and roman characters. (Baudrier, VIII, p. 232.) A fine copy, in a remarkable contemporary binding with interlacing in the style of those executed for Thomas Mahieu. One of the first bibliophiles of his time, Thomas Mahieu was the personal secretary of Catherine de Medici. The decoration of the binding is close to that of the copy of the Asolani by Pietro Bembo (Aldus, 1515) reproduced in the catalogue of the first Esmerian sale (1972, no. 35). Manuscript bookplate on the title: Natalis Martin Secundani 1712. From the Maurice Burrus library (I, 2015, n° 172). The volume had previously appeared in the famous catalogue of bindings of the Gumuchian bookshop (XII, no. 79, reproduction pl. XL). Top cover restored, small retouch to decoration.