LEONE (Pietro). Les Merveilles de la ville de... Lot 43

LEONE (Pietro). Les Merveilles de la ville de Rome Où est traitè des Eglises, Stations, & Reliques des Corps Saints qui y sont. Avec la (sic) Guide qui enseigne aux Estrangers à aysement trouver les choses plus remarquables de Rome. Ensemble les Noms des Papes, Empereurs, & autres Princes Chrestiens. Rome: Bernabo, 1725. -In-8, 158x104: (4 ff.), pp. 3-216. Dark blue morocco, cold fillet framing the boards, ribbed spine, dark blue morocco frame decorated with gilt fillets inside, red morocco lining decorated with gilt framing fillets, fleurons at the corners and a central diamond-shaped filigree composition, gilt edges (A. Chatelin). New, corrected and enlarged edition, dedicated to Melchior de Polignac (1661-1741), of this true traveler's guide. It was published by the bookseller and publisher Pietro Leone (1665-1746). This type of guide dates back to the Middle Ages, with numerous editions appearing as early as the 16th century. This is one of those that perpetuate a medieval tradition of focusing on Rome's seven major churches. This is followed by various itineraries, a list of feast days and stations, a three-day guide to visiting Rome, a table of popes, Roman kings and emperors, kings of France, a table of Rome's churches, a section on the seven wonders of the world, and a larger section on Rome's antiquities. The illustrations include an intaglio frontispiece and a double-page composition, as well as 66 woodcuts, one full-page and one double-page, most of which are repeats of compositions by Girolamo Franzini (1537-1596) published in the late 16th century. A very fine copy in a lined binding by Antoine Chatelin (1820-circa 1890). Originally from Issoudun, he learned the bookbinding trade in Paris and returned to his native town from 1844-1845. He was forced into exile in London in 1852, after being convicted for taking part in an 1851 banquet commemorating the third anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic on February 24, 1848. He returned to the capital in the early 1880s. His bindings are unusual and of remarkable quality. Several of them can be found in the Duc d'Aumale collection. The engravings on pages 18 and 112 have been slightly cut by the binder. Provenance: Gilles de Gastines, with flying bookplate bearing this handwritten note on the spine: "Pour le soixante quinzième anniversaire d'Anne qui aura toujours vingt ans."