MARCELLO (Cristoforo). Lot n° 26

Sacrarum cæremoniarum sive rituum ecclesiasticorum S. Rom. Ecclesiæ libri tres. Venice, Giunta, 1582. In-4, red morocco, framed with gilt fillets and irons set with cold fillets, large full and hollowed out gilt fleurons in the spandrels, medallion of sphynxes and fleurs-de-lis gilt in the center, spine decorated with the same fleuron repeated, gilt edges, red morocco clasps with wrought metal clasps (Italian binding of the time). Partly original and most beautiful edition of this work suppressed by order of Pope Leo X, to whom Cristoforo Marcello dedicated it. According to Brunet, the original manuscript was composed around 1488 by Agostino Patrizi de Piccolomini, secretary to Pius II and bishop of Pienza. However, it was Cristoforo Marcello, bishop of Corfu, who published it in Venice in 1516, "without naming the author, but after having made falsifications to the text of the manuscript which aroused the attention of the cardinals, and were referred to Pope Leo X, who ordered the suppression of the denounced book, which made copies rare." Superb printing in red and black by Lucantonio Giunta, adorned with his beautiful typographical mark with a red lily on the title and the last leaf. The edition is illustrated with 82 woodcuts in the text describing the ceremonies of the Catholic cult, including one full-page depicting three scenes in a frame of putti. Beautiful Italian binding in red morocco decorated with gilt fleurons, complete with its two clasps. Discrete restorations to the binding, small hole in the margin of f. 1, ff. 89-90 and 95-96 browned, worm work in the upper margin of ff. 160-187, small wetnesses without gravity. Camerini, n°869 - Brunet, III, 1396.