Theocritus. Idyllia [Greek]. Add: Theognis; Dionysius Cato: Disticha (trans. into Greek: Maximus Planudes); Sententiae Septem sapientium; De invidia; Hesiodus: Opera et dies, Theogonia [Greek]. With table and colophon in Latin. Venice: Aldo Manuzio, Febru💛ary 1495/1496

Editio princeps, in a brilliant Pillone binding, of twelve Theocritean Idylls (which served as the models for Virgil’s Eclogues). "In addition to Theocritus, this volume includes the editiones principes of many of the works of Theognis, Hesiod, and other Greek poets. The book opens with an introductory letter addressed by Aldo to his former teacher Battista Guarino, in which he states, 'Here, most illustrious master, is the Theogonia of Hesiod, which you ask me to provide for the public instruction of your pupils.' While the book was in the press a manuscript was discovered with previously unknown lines from the Megara of Theocritus, and quires F and G were recomposed t𝐆o incorporate the additional text" (Grolier♏/Aldus).

This is the first of two issue, with signatures Ζ.F and Θ.G in their original states (for the second issue, see lot 1490). Aldo's edition also included eighteen further Idylls by Theocritus that had been previously published in Milan, ca. 1480, by Bonus Accursius, as had Hesiod's Works and Days. The colophon is dated February 1495, according to the Old Style of dating whereby﷽ March was the first month of the Venetian year; by today's calendar that equates to February 1496.

One of just two Greek books—and the only Aldine incunable—in the Pillone Library, bound in a modified alla greca style with a fine fore-edge painting of the author by Cesare Vecellio. The other Greek text in the Pillone library was Lucian's Opera (Venice: Aldo Manuzio, February 1503), sold in Bibliotheca Brookeriana: The Aldine Collection D–M, lot 870 (New York, 18 October 2024). About 1580, Odorico Pillone commissioned a local artist, Cesare Vecellio (1521–1601), then engaged in painting a series of portraits of Pillone family members, to decorate some 170 books accumulated in the family library at Villa Casteldardo di Trichiana, near Belluno. These included not only the volumes he had acquired himself, but those purchased by his father, like the ready-bound Theocritus. Many (if not all) the books in his library were shelved with their backs to the wall and fore-edges exposed. Some fore-edges had been earlier lettered with the titles of the volumes, and Vecellio was obliged to work his decoration around this lettering; if no lettering was present, he wrote the author's name (often abbreviated) horizontally across the lower fore-edge, or vertically from the top to the bottom of the fore-edge. Vecellio usually contented himself with a single, boldly colored figure, such as the author in 🐓the act of writing or in a setting suggestive of the contents, as the pastoral sce♔ne here.

The shop desigated “Belluno Binder A” was the earlier of two shops working in Belluno for the Pillone family (Anthony Hobson, “The Pillone Library” in The Book Collector 7 (1958), pp. 28-37 & pl. 1).

Super-chancery folio (214 x 210 mm). Greek type, with some Roman, 30 lines plus headline. collation: Α.Α–Δ.D⁸ Ε.E–Θ.G⁶ ZZ.ζζ¹⁰ AA.αα–ΔΔ.δδ⁸ ΕΕ.εε⁶ α.a–β.b⁸ γ.c¹⁰ δ.d–ε.e⁸: 140𝕴 leaves. Woodcut💛 strapwork initials and headpieces, some floriated. (Some marginal dampstaining.)

binding: Russet Paduan morocco over wooden boards (224 x 218 mm) by Belluno Binder A, ca. 1500, with effort to replicate a Greek style binding (pronounced head bands, relatively flat rounded spine, grooved boards), covers panelled in blind with five border fillets, outer frame with small open rosettes, miters to frame of repeated knotwork tool, empty frame with miters to inner vertical panel of saltires, four bosses and umbilicus of brass, spine in five compartments with rather inconspicuous bands, compartments crosshatched by triple fillets with circle and dot punch at crossings, u൲pper (of two) clasps attaching to lower cover intact, vellum pastedowns (lifted), commissioned edge decoration from Cesare Vecellio: head- and tail-edges marbled in gray and reds, fore-edge portrait of Hesiod dressed in red and standing between a blue sky and green ground, majuscules down fore-edge THESIODVS, smaller title running horizontally across lower ed𒈔ge ΘΕΟΚ. (Some wear and light scraping with minor loss at extremities, a bit of repair to head of spine.) Lucite box.

provenance: Antonio Pillone (1464–1533); by descent to — Odorico Pillone (1503–1594), commissioned the artist Cesare Vecellio to decorate the fore-edge, head- and tail-edges; by descent to — Giorgio Pillone (1539–1611) — Paolo Maresio Bazolle (fl. 1874) — Sir Thomas Brooke, 1st Bt. (1830-1908; engraved armorial bookplate) — Humphrey Brooke (1914–1988; consigned to Alan Keen Ltd., London, The Venetian Library Collected at the Close of the XVI Century by Doctor Odorico Pillone and the Sides and Edges Painted by Cesare Vecellio [1947], item 105) — Pierre Berès, Paris (commemorative ex libris [no. 59]; Bibliothèque Pillone [catalogue, hors série, 1957], item 59 — Gianfranco Alessandrini (1926–2001) — Pierre Berès, Paris — Pierre Bergé & Jean-Baptiste de Proyart, Vente Alde Manuce (1450–1515): une collection, Geneva, 19 November 2004, lot 7; purchased by — Librairie Thomas-Scheler, Paris (CHF 235,859); Livres précieux du XVe au XIXe siècle: XXIIIe Biennale de Antiquaires, Paris, Grand Palais (2006), item 4 (€220,000). acquisition: Purchased from Librairie Thomas-Scheler, Paris, 2008. references: UCLA 7; Aldo Manuzio tipografo 7; BMC V 554 (IB 24402), V 555 (IB 24408); Gof𝐆f T144; Grolier/Aldus 10; GW M45831; ISTC it00144000; Renouard 5/3