Beschreibung:

BOCCACCIO, Giovanni (1313-1375). Libro delle Donne Illustri . Translated from Latin into Italian by Giuseppe Betussi. Venice: Pietro dei Nicolini da Sabbio, 1547. 8° (154 x 103mm). Italic type. Printer's device on title, woodcut historiated initials. Contemporary Venetian dark brown goatskin tooled in gilt and blind by the 'Fugger Binder', the sides decorated to an interlace design with shaped compartment of stars, fleurons at corners, central circle lettered 'LIBRO D' L' DONNE ILL.' (upper cover) 'D.M. GIOVAN BOCC.' (lower cover), spine tooled in blind with grape vine, later label, edges gilt with double gauffered fillet (missing two fore-edge ties, very slightly rubbed at extremities). Provenance : William Robinson (bookseller, catalogue description laid in). A HANDSOME VENETIAN BINDING by the 'Fugger Binder'. At least three tools on the present binding are shared by others attributed to the Fugger Binder. So called owing to his work for the great financier Johann Jakob Fugger, he also worked for other notable Renaissance collectors, such as Cardinal Granvelle and Thomas Mahieu. Published bindings by the Fugger Binder with the corner, large star or flower-head, or grape-vine tools (grape-vine usually used on the spine, as here) are: G.D. Hobson, Maioli , LIII, Foot, Davis Gift , app. 3, 20, illus. p.311, and De Marinis 2165. These are included in A.R.A. Hobson's list of Fugger Binder bindings in Renaissance Book Collecting , appendix 8, as nos. 76, 103 and 103A. The corner tool appears in the hands of other binders as well, such as the Cicero Binder (cf. Hobson, fig.74). The treatment of the central medallion is similar to that depicted on De Marinis 2160 and 2162, not attributed to a particular Venetian shop.