De gli inventori delle cose. Libri otto. Tradotti per Mr. Francesco Baldelli. Florence, per Filippo, e Iacopo Giunta,

Giunta device on title-page, woodcut initials. 4to. [12] ff. 426pp. [24] ff. 17th century half-vellum over decorative paste boards.

First edition of Francesco Baldelli's translation of Polydore Vergil's influential compendium. The only translation into Italian prior to this was that of Pietro Lauro published by Giolito in 1543. De rerum inventoribus by Polydore Vergil (1470-1555) was first published in three books in 1499 and extended to eight books in 1521. His curious and valuable book on the invention of the arts and technical processes is described by J.R. Hale as, "a pioneering handbook on the origins of things as disparate as religion, gunpowder, art and prostitution". It also includes the earliest history of medicine. The work is an early encyclopaedia on the origin of the arts and sciences and of later actual inventions such as watchmaking and architecture. Chapter seven of book two concerns the invention of books and after an interesting note on the library of the Duke of Urbino, there is a short account of the history of printing which the author states was invented by a German named "Petrus" (Schoeffer) in Mainz, while the first press in Italy was set up by "Conradus" (Sweynhem) and improved upon by the Frenchman Nicolaus Jenson. The following chapter describes the origin of writing and the use of papyrus and parchment. There are also numerous accounts of a wide range of inventions in the arts and sciences, including astrology, philosophy, the magic arts, geomancy and chiromancy, agriculture, military arts, music, etc.Paper flaw on f. G5 affecting one or two words, a little worm at blank inner margin, otherwise a fresh copy.BMSTC (Italian), p. 720. Censimento Edit 16 48251. Not in Adams.

Stock Code: 44873