PSALMISTA SECUNDUM CONSUETUNDINEM SANCTE ROMANE ECCLESIE
1538ST19567-018Venetiis Venice: in officina heredum Luceantonii Junte hiers of Lucantonio Giunta 1538. 149 x 104 mm. 5 7/8 x 4". 8 143 of 144 leaves lacking leaf p6. <br/> Contemporary Venetian morocco rebacked preserving original blind-ruled spine and corners rounded off and renewed covers each with blind-ruled borders and a gilt- and blind-ruled panel with gilt fleurons in each inner and outer corner central gilt IHS monogram raised bands brass clasps renewed all edges gilt and gauffered lacking final endleaf. Printer's device on title numerous historiated woodcut initials first page of text with woodcut border two full-page woodcut illustrations. Printed in red and black. Essling 181; Sander 5970 under "autres éditions"; EDIT 16 CNCE 11880. Original spine somewhat crackled bottom compartment with slight surface loss perhaps from removal of a label covers with several but insignificant small dings very minor dampstain at extreme top edge of a few leaves other trivial imperfections but a clean fresh and bright copy in an attractive early binding.<br/> <br/> Offered in what is probably its original binding this is a very rare edition of a Psalter done by one of the leading Venetian printing families of the 15th and 16th centuries. A major figure in the Italian book trade Lucantonio Giunta 1457-1538 began his career as a bookseller in Venice in 1477 and became a printer there in 1489. Together with family members and carefully arranged partnerships Giunta expanded his printing empire into numerous cities in Europe including Lyon Lisbon Antwerp Frankfurt and Salamanca. The present book was printed just after the death of Lucantonio whose heirs would continue to run the family business which grew prosperous in part because of its specialty in producing liturgical works such as this. The contents here are routine but the well-preserved decorative period binding makes the volume definitely worth having. in officina heredum Luceantonii Junte [hiers of Lucantonio Giunta] unknown
