EXCEEDINGLY SCARCE POST-INCUNABLE

BELTRAME DA FERRARA (BELTRAMO).

Libro devotissimo chiamato Spechio de prudentia opera nuovamente impressa.

Venice, Bartholomaeus de Zanis, April 16, 1505.

8vo (19x13,5 cm). Bound in a lovely 20th century full calf binding with three raised bands to spine. Blindstamped ornamentations to spine and simple, elgant blindstamped ornamention to boards and "BUR/LAMAC/CHI" in blindstamped lettering to lower back board. Spine darkened and leather at hinges worn. A nice, charming, and solid binding, presumably from the collection of Maurizio Burlamacchi. Light soiling to first and last leaves and a small repair to lower blank margin of final leaf and tiny restoration to blank margin of AIII and AIIII. Overall nice and clean. First three leaves with a few later annotations. Beautifully printed, on good paper, with numerous lovely woodcut ornamental capitals throughout. 82 ff.   


Exceedingly scarce, beautifully printed post-incunable. This "Mirror of Prudence" by the hermit monk Beltrame da Ferrara was seemingly printed for the first time around 1490 (at least according to Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke), but be have not been able to trace a single copy of that edition anywhere. It is not listed at all on OCLC and is seemingly not in any libraries anywhere. We have also not been able to find it sold at auction ever, and we have not found mention of it in any other bibliographies. The present edition printed in 1505 is of the utmost scarcity with only four copies in libraries worldwide and no other copy listed in auction records. We have also not been able to find it mentioned in any bibliographies (apart from Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke - 03807). 

This moral work that teaches the importance of careful consideration, thoughtful planning, and the ability to learn from experience in order to make wise and ethical decisions in all aspects of life was written some time between late 14th century and ca. 1440, when Beltrame da Ferrara died. He was a monk in the congregation of San Piero in Pisa, and in 1404, he took over the leadership of the hermit convent of S. Felicitatis de Romano. 

The Burlamacchi family is an ancient family from Lucca. Mauritzio Burlamacchi (1930-2016) was a known bibliophile and collector, specialised in early printed works. He is the author of a book on the spas of Lucca and historical lecturer. In 2006, he was accepted into the Order of Malta as a Knight of Honour and Devotion. 

Order-nr.: 62598

DKK 40.000,00