A pair of book covers in the Renaissance style, or 'Tavolette di Biccherna' cura late 19th century, Italian giltwood and temera, one panel with scrolling foliage surrounding seven Sienese shields, a Latin inscription dated '1475', the other with matching foliage around a courtly male figure holding a feather and a shield, joined with a leather binding, steel mounts, glazed in a giltwood frame. Note: by the year 1459 the commune of Sienna had begun binding their accounts in leather, so Joni's dated inscription of '1475' reveals his deception. In selling these as original Renaissance book covers, Joni also failed to recreate contemporary stitching. Nevertheless, he enjoyed some celebrity when he was unmasked and continued to receive commissions for his bindings. Provence: J.P. Hartley, writer (mounted paper label to verso). The item is in a heavy frame. Known as the 'prince' of Sienese forgers, Icilio Joni began work in a gilding workshop in Siena as a young man. He went on to set up his own restoration business, which led him into the world of forgeries, finding that the market for such items in 19th century Italy was flourishing. Like a number of his contemporaries he forged panel paintings, triptychs, and wooden caskets, passing them off as fifteenth or sixteenth century originals, but, more unusually, he also forged bookbindings. He had read of the distinctive and highly decorated Tavolette book covers used by the city of Siena and started to produce his own, layering wooden panels with plaster and painting them with tempera and gold. Although his bindings were somewhat different from the originals - since he had never been to the Archivio di Stato to study the originals - he was able to sell his work through associates in Florence and Rome, and his success was so great that he later claimed in his autobiography that a director from the Archivio di Stato had been convinced by an example of his work and declared it beautiful. Eventually, in the pursuit of fame, Joni revealed the truth, but his workmanship was such that he still received commissions for these bindings, which continue to be sought after today.