[BINDING] - AA.VV. - Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis - 1769

The gold of devotion, when prayer becomes an object of representation
This 1769 Venetian Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a refined example of late 18th-century devotional book designed as a prestigious object as well as for private liturgical use. The very rich contemporary binding, entirely gilded and adorned with a central medallion personalized with the name 'CAVALIERE GIBELLJNI,' reveals a clientele of high social standing and a specific identity function. The Office thus presents itself as an object of personal piety and, at the same time, as a visible sign of status, fully in tune with the ceremonial and aristocratic culture of Venice in the 18th century.
Market value
Seven-hundred-year-old copies of the Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis in contemporary binding, sumptuously decorated in gold, especially if personalized on the cover, are generally found on the antique market between 400 and 800 euros, with higher values for exceptional bindings and complete iconographic apparatus.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Contemporary binding in brown calf, fully decorated with gold; on the front of the round plate, a green leather medallion with the name engraved in gold 'CAVALIERE GIBELLJNI'; smooth back with gilded floral motifs; gilded edges. Volume with a woodcut vignette on the title page and 7 full-page engraved plates in copper. Small wormholes and minor defects are present. In ancient books, with a centuries-old history, some imperfections may be present that are not always noted in the description. Pages (4); 24; 454; 2nn; (2).

Full title and author
Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Venice, from the Balleoni printing house, 1769.
Various Authors

Context and Significance
In the full eighteenth century, the Marian Office remained one of the most widespread devotional texts, but in aristocratic and chivalric circles, it took on a strong symbolic significance. The richly gilded and personalized bindings testify to private use that is highly symbolic, where devotion is expressed through the language of luxury and social identity. Venice, with its high-level printing and bookbinding workshops, was one of the main centers for the production of these commissioned volumes.

Printing History
The Balleoniana workshop was active in Venice in the 18th century, specializing in high-quality liturgical editions aimed at a select audience. Volumes like this primarily circulated in private circles, often as commissioned objects or prestige gifts, a circumstance that makes personalized bindings particularly sought after today.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Brunet, J.-C., Manual for booksellers and book lovers.
Nixon, H. M., Five Centuries of Bookbinding.
Foot, M., Bookbinders and Binding in Eighteenth-Century Venice.