Gabriello Symeoni - Commentarii - 1546

COMMENTARII SULLA TETRARCHIA DI VENEZIA, MILANO, MANTOVA E FERRARA – PRIMA EDIZIONE
First and rare edition of the famous Commentarii by Gabriello Symeoni, printed in Venice by Comino da Trino in 1546. The work represents one of the first great historical-political studies devoted to the principal States of Renaissance Italy — Venice, Milan, Mantua and Ferrara — and constitutes a significant testimony of the historical humanism of the 16th century. The edition is enriched by the magnificent woodcut portrait of the author on the title page, a highly fascinating iconographic element and often missing in incomplete copies.
WHY TO BUY
• First absolute edition of 1546.
• Famous historical-political work of the Italian Renaissance.
• Original woodcut portrait of the author on the title page.
• Printed by the printer Comino da Trino of Monferrato.
• Important source for the history of the Italian states of the 16th century.
• Elegant modern conservation parchment binding.
• Rare on the international antique market.

MARKET VALUE
The first edition of Gabriello Symeoni's Commentarii is rarely seen on the market. Complete copies, in good condition and with the woodcut portrait preserved, are generally valued between €2,000 and €5,000, while copies particularly prestigious or in contemporary bindings can reach substantially higher prices. A copy in an elegant Renaissance binding was recently offered with an estimate of £3,000–£5,000 by Sotheby’s.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Octavo volume (8°). Elegant modern full parchment binding, pressed for conservation purposes. Title page with the author’s woodcut portrait within an ornamental border. Text printed in italic type with woodcut initials. Overall well preserved, with some ancient manuscript annotations and light signs of use. Fresh and marginated paper.
In 8°.
Leaves [4], 110, [18].
Title page with woodcut portrait.
Three full-page woodcut genealogical plates.
Final register.
In old books, with a centuries-long history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description.

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
Gabriello Symeoni.
Commentarii di Gabriello Symeoni Fiorentino sopra alla Tetrarchia di Vinegia, di Milano, di Mantova et di Ferrara.
Venezia, Comino da Trino di Monferrato, 1546.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
This work constitutes one of the most interesting examples of Italian Renaissance political historiography. Symeoni analyzes the formation and evolution of the four main Northern Italian States through genealogies, chronicles, documents and historical reflections. The work combines antiquarian research, classical erudition and political observation, anticipating the method of modern institutional history. It was published in the same year in which the author moved to Venice, the city where he issued his first major works.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Gabriello Symeoni (Florence, 1509 – circa 1575) was a man of letters, antiquary, geographer, historian and humanist. An exile from Florence, he stayed in Venice, Trento, Lyon and in France, standing out as one of the most versatile intellectuals of the European Renaissance. His works range from history to geography, from archaeology to literature, always characterized by a strong antiquarian and documentary interest.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The 1546 edition is the princeps of the work and was printed by Comino da Trino di Monferrato, one of the most important Venetian printers of the period. The work immediately enjoyed a notable diffusion among Italian humanist and historical circles, so much so that the author quickly promoted a reprint. Today the first edition is considered rare and is catalogued in the main bibliographies of the XVI century.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES

EDIT16.
ICCU – Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale.
WorldCat.
Treccani – Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani.
Adams, Catalogue of Books Printed on the Continent.
Brunet, Manuel du Libraire et de l'Amateur de Livres.
Graesse, Trésor de Livres Rares et Précieux.