Susanne Schulz-Falster Catalogue Ten - Schulz-Falster Rare Books

First edition, uncommon of this handy biographical dictionary of noble
Venetian families. With its small format and colloquial style of writing, the
work is clearly designed to be carried around. Brief entries give basic information
on each family, details of their background, position and quite frequently
current holders of the title. According to the preface and title, the
information is mostly extracted from Zilliolo’s work, with additional information
drawn from an anonymous manuscript. For a number of entries,
the information is provided by the editor.
OCLC and RLIN list New York Public Library and Harvard only; there appear to
be diVerent issues of this work, since the New York Public Library copy measures
24 cm, whereas this uncut one measures just 15.5 cm.
318 [VENICE. ANON.] Squitinio della Liberta Veneta. Nel quale
si adducono anche le raggioni dell’Impero Romano sopra la Città &
Signoria di Venetia. Stampato in Mirandola, Giovanni Benincasa,
1612. £900
4to, pp. [ii], 77 [vere 75], [1] imprint, including Wnal blank; title within
double border; typographic title vignette, head- and tail-pieces and
decorated initials; paper lightly browned; contemporary full limp
vellum, spine and upper cover lettered in ink; bookplate removed from
inside front cover; a Wne copy.
First edition, rare, of this famous satirical study of Venetian history and its
political system, which appears to have been attributed to a wide number of
historians and political authors, the most likely appear to be the Augsburg
scholar Marcus Welser (1558–1614) and Alfonso de la Cueva Bednar
(1572–1655).
In this well-argued treatise the myth of Venetian liberty and independence
is debunked. Instead it is argued that ‘La Serenissima’ was in fact always
a dominion of the Empire and that therefore the emperor always
retained his ancient rights. It also argued that Venice is all but free, the government
is composed of the nobles only, with scant reference to the rest of
the population. This critical publication was immediately banned by order
of the Venetian senate, put on the index, and all copies in circulation were
burnt (Libreria Vinciana 1013).
Cicogna 894; Lozzi 6133; Libreria Vinciana 1014.
Tail Piece
319 [VERACI, Gaetano.] Cicalata sopra la Coda in forma di
Lettera indirizzata alla Signora N.N. e di Rami allusive fregiata.
[Florence], Campo Cauditano [for the author], 1765. £500
Large 8vo, engraved frontispiece, pp. 49, [1], with two text engravings;
browned throughout, with some marginal staining; uncut in
contemporary pattern paper wrappers, spine lettered in manuscript,
spine worn, but Wrm; later label and library sticker to upper wrappers.
susanne schulz-falster rare books catalogue ten
First and only edition of this rare mock-scientiWc panegyric on the ‘tail’,
celebrating the birth of a male child. Illustrated with three evocative engravings
the anonymous author wittily exploits the analogy between tails and
the distinctive anatomical feature of male babies.
This anonymous publication, where the author is disguised under the
pseudonym ScarpaWco Codacci is a typical production of eighteenth-century
Florentine literary academies.
Melzi I, 205; Parenti, p. 45.
320 VERNES, Jacob. ConWdence Philosophique. Londres,
1771. £750
8vo, pp. viii, 381; woodcut vignette to title; contemporary tan calf,
spine decoratively gilt, gitl-lettered spine label; a very Wne copy.
First edition, uncommon, of Vernes’ outspoken and well-written critique
of the encyclopédistes and philosophes, in the form of ten letters. Vernes
(1728–1791), theologian in Geneva, singles out Voltaire, materialist philosophy,
especially LaMettrie and Holbach, and Rousseau. Immediate
translations into German and English contributed to the wide circulation of
this anti-materialist publication.
Despite this strident criticism, Vernes remained friends with Voltaire and
Rousseau, both of whom he had pilloried in his publication.
Cioranescu 63193; a second edition was published in 1776.