Bidspirit auction | Dante Alighieri

Dante Alighieri - Dante Alighieri (Firenze 1265 - Ravenna 1321) - The Comedy [Commentary by Christophorus Landinus]. Addition: Marsilius Ficinus, Ad Dantem gratulatio [in Latin and Italian], 1487. Brescia, Boninus de Boninis, de Ragusia, 31 May 1487. In 2nd. 348 x 222mm. . Roman characters 110:R for the text and 81:R for the commentary, blank spaces for initials, illustrated with 68 splendid full-page woodcuts attributable to two different artists and enclosed within decorated woodcut frames on a criblé background, previously used in the Catullus printed by de' Bonini in 1485, typographical brand on a black background and the initials “BB” on the verso of the penultimate leaf, tear in the lower white margin of c.a2, c paper healed and restored on the outer margin, c.o2 small restored hole, EXCELLENT example in SPLENDID FULL BROWN LEATHER BINDING from the 19th century with gold inscriptions on the boards (title and typographical data) and refined phytomorphic decorations on the spine, gold edges, defects on the hinges, binding by the famous bookbinder Katharine Adams (1862 – 1952) carried out in 1904. Ex libris on the Alfred Acland 's front cover, subsequently passed to the library of CH St John Hornby Shelley House, Chenlsea in December 1923. Another handwritten ownership note on leaf I, perhaps in a 17th century hand.