Beschreibung:

Theocritus. Idyllia, collation: a-k8; 77, [1] ff., Greek text, woodcut device on title and at end, woodcut initials, that on a4 with contemporary hand-colouring, contemporary vellum, small tear to spine, soiled, lacking ties, yapp edges, 8vo (166 x 110mm.), Florence, Benedetto Giunta, 1540. ⁂ This rare Juntine edition also includes the famous 'figure poems', typographically arranged in the shape of the objects they describe, e.g. the Pan flute and the double axe. This 1540 edition is a substantial reprint (except for the dedicatory epistle to Filippo Pandolfini, not included) of the first Theocritus issued from the Florentine printing house, which appeared in January 1515 and was edited for Filippo Giunta by Eufrosino Bonini. This copy once belonged to the great Italian bibliophile Giacomo Manzoni whose outstanding library was sold in 1893. Provenance: "Thoma Iacobi Iacominii Tebaldutii" (ownership inscription on title, dated 1562 and annotations on first leaves in his hand); Count Giacomo Manzoni (1816-1889: ownership inscription on front pastedown). Literature: Adams T463; Camerini 237; Renouard 50.132.