Nineteen Parisian armorial bindings displaying a stamp of a rampant lion within a cartouche of foliage are known. This insignia had been recorded in the Manuel de l’amateur de reliures armoriées françaises (Paris 1929) among “fers non identifiés” (Pl. 1860, 2-3). The arms were recognised as those of Bartolomeo Cenami by Pierre Berès, in 1963 (see List below, no. 16), and as belonging to the Cenami family by a Sotheby’s cataloguer, in 1977 (no. 6), but not until 1991, when Jean Balsamo published two bindings (nos. 1, 19),¹ did Bartolomeo Cenami emerge into the light as a bibliophile. The nineteen bindings cover books printed between 1558 and 1601, in French (10), Latin (5), Italian (5), and Spanish (2), printed at Rouen (7), Paris (3), Medina del Campo (2), Venice (4), Lyon (2), and Augsburg, Basel, Leiden, and Vicenza (1 in each city).

Bartolomeo di Girolamo di Ridolfo Cenami (1556-1611) was the scion of a Lucchese merchant and banking family, who arrived in Paris about 1578, and quickly became a royal creditor to Henri III. He forged a similar relationship with Henri IV, as did two of his sons, Vincenzo (1581-January 1651) and Abbé Paolo (1587-October 1651), with Cardinal Mazarin.² Bartolomeo kept a house in Paris in the rue du Grand-Chantier and a “Pavillon” at Charenton (Le clos Louvet), which was used occasionally by Henri IV for diplomacy and by the Dauphin Louis XIII for discreet meetings. Bartolomeo died in Paris and was interred in the church Saint-Julien-des-Enfants-Rouges.

Another of Bartolomeo’s sons, Ferdinando Gerolamo, had remained in Lucca to look after the family’s interests, dwelling there in the Palazzo del Decanato di San Michele, and the Villa Cenami at Segromigno (bought by Bartolomeo in 1599). After his premature death, his brothers Vincenzo and Paolo resolved to bequeath all family properties at Lucca to his widow, Felice Saminiati. About half of the nineteen volumes contain the later inscription “Dello Studio di Casa Cenami’, in one instance with “Casa” overwriting “Ba…” (no. 3). Since some of the volumes also have ownership inscriptions of Lucchese collectors of the 18th century: Bernardino Baroni, historian of Lucca, author of a genealogical memoir of the Cenami family (no. 8), Francesco Maria Conti (nos. 11, 18), Giovanni Francesco Viligiardi (no. 16), and Niccolà di Sirignano, dated Lucca 1738 (nos. 3-4), it is likely that the library was dispersed in Lucca, not in Paris. The books perhaps were transferred by Bartolomeo himself, during the period when he was Lucchese ambassador to Florence (1594-1599), or posthumously, by his eldest son, Vincenzo, who returned permanently to Lucca about 1636. None of the nineteen books is listed in a post-mortem inventory of Paolo’s library taken in Paris (31 October 1651).³

All of the Cenami bindings have foliate centre and cornerpieces of a type associated with a Parisian binding atelier established by Nicolas Ève (d. ca 1582), royal binder to Henri III, and his son Clovis, royal binder to Henri IV.

list of bindings

(1) Aristoteles, Aristotelis Stagiritae Opera, Post omnes quae in hunc usque diem prodierunt editiones, summo studio emaculata, & ad Graecum exemplar diligenter recognita Ab A. Iacobo Martino Doctore Medico ac Philosopho. Nuper autem nova accessione Theologiae seu Philosophiae mysticae, & Noni ac Decimi Politicorum lib. locupletata, ut octava ab hinc pagina patet. Quibus accessit Index locupletissimus recens collectus (Lyon: Étienne Michel, 1581)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● X. Genin, D. Griffe, B. Leseuil & Jean Colliard with J.-P. Delon, Incunables, livres du 16e au 19e siècle, reliures, Lyon, 6 June 1984, lot 1
● unidentified owner - bought in sale (FF 27,000)
● Librairie Patrick et Elisabeth Sourget, Chartres; their Catalogue 7: Manuscrits enluminés et livres précieux: De Saint Louis a l’Impératrice Eugénie (Chartres 1990), item 54 (FF 75,000) (“maroquin rouge aux armes attribuées a Gaspard de Schönberg, comte de Nanteuil… La reliure est l’oeuvre de Nicolas Eve”)
● T. Kimball Brooker (purchased from the above, 1990) [Bibliotheca Brookeriana ID #2390]
● Sotheby’s, Bibliotheca Brookeriana: A Renaissance Library, Part V, London, 10 December 2024, lot 1014 [link] [L24405-1014]
● unidentified owner - bought in sale (£5080)

literature
Jean Balsamo, “Les reliures d’un italien de la Cour de Henri IV” in Bulletin du Bibliophile (1991), pp.412-415 & Fig. 1 (“est depuis lors passé en vente”)


(2) Domenico di Giovanni, called Burchiello, Rime del Burchiello fiorentino comentate dal Doni. Et piene di capricci, fantasie, umori, strauaganze, grilli, frenesie, ghiribizzi, argutie, motti e sali. Ritocche da quel che poteua già offendere il buon lettore (Vicenza: Heirs of Perin, 1597)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● unidentified owner, oval black armorial inkstamp on title-page (18C)
● Librairie Clavreuil, Paris
● T. Kimball Brooker (purchased from the above, 2018) [Bibliotheca Brookeriana ID #2451; to be offered by Sotheby’s in 2024-2025]


(3-4) Cesare Campana, Delle historie del mondo descritte dal signor Cesare Campana. Volume primo [-secondo] (Venice: Francesco De Franceschi & Giorgio Angelieri, 1597-1599)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● “scored-through inscriptions on flyleaves of both volumes ‘Dello Studio di Casa Cenami’, that in vol. I amended from ‘Ba[…]’ to ‘Casa’)” (Christie’s)
● unidentified owner(s), “a few early manuscript annotations” (Christie’s)
● “Niccolo, Prince of Sirignano (scored-through inscriptions in Italian on both flyleaves recording purchase in Lucca in 1738)” (Christie’s)
● “Lorenzo Pregliasco, Turin (pencilled bookseller’s note on vol. I front free endpaper)” (Christie’s)
● Michel Wittock (1936-2020)
● Christie Manson & Woods, The Michel Wittock collection, Part I: Important Renaissance bookbindings, London, 7 July 2004, lot 28 (“2 volumes … Parisian contemporary red morocco gilt, boards with central arms of Bartolommeo Cenami, panelled with triple fillets with foliate corner-pieces, borders of triple fillets, spines gilt in compartments, lettered in one, another with Cenami’s lion device, the remainder decorated with foliate and other tools, leather fore-edge straps, gilt edges (a few small wormholes and scuff marks, skilful repairs to spines and corners)”)
● unsold (estimate £8000-12,000) [RBH 6996-28]
● Alde, Collection Michel Wittock, Sixième partie: Cinq siècles d’art et d’histoire en France à travers le livre et sa reliure, Paris, 12 November 2015, lot 17 [RBH 25819-17]

literature
Une vie, une collection: cinq siècles d’art et d’histoire à travers le livre et sa reliure: exposition à la Bibliotheca Wittockiana du 10 octobre 2008 au 28 février 2009 (Dijon 2008), no. 11


(5) Philippe Desportes, Les premières oeuvres (Rouen: Raphaël du Petit Val, 1600), bound with Cent pseaumes de David mis en vers françois par Philippe Desportes (Rouen: Raphaël du Petit Val, 1600), bound with Desportes, Poesies chrestiennes (Rouen: Raphaël du Petit Val, 1600), bound with Desportes, Quelques prieres et meditations chrestiennes (Rouen: Raphaël du Petit Val, 1600)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● inscription, “‘Dello Studio di casa Cenami’ sur un feuillet de garde” (illustrated by Berès)
● Edward Davies Davenport (1778-1847) (Berès)
● André Rodocanachi (1914-2001) (Berès)
● Pierre Berès, Paris; their Catalogue 90: Poésie ancienne de l’Antiquité à la fin du seizième siècle (Paris 2000), item 177 (FF185,000 / €28,203; “Exemplaire d’un fin bibliophile du seizième siècle, Barthélemy Cenami, 1556-1611; il est relié à ses armes et porte cette inscription que l’on trouve sur la demi-douzaine de ses autres livres qui ont été identifiés [illustration of inscription ‘Dello Studio di casa Cenami’]”)
● Pierre Bergé & associés, Pierre Berès, 80 ans de passion: 2ème vente, fonds de la librairie Pierre Berès, des incunables à nos jours, 1ère partie, Paris, 28 October 2005, lot 70 (“Maroquin rouge, décor doré, pièce d’armes (lion contourné) dans un médaillon de guirlande de feuillages sur les plats, deux jeux d’un triple filet avec fleurons aux angles, dos long orné de filets, de la pièce d’armes et de glands, traces de rubans, tranches dorées”)
● unidentified owner - bought in sale (€16,000)


(6) Guillaume de Saluste Du Bartas, La sepmaine ou creation du monde [-La seconde sepmaine; parts 1-2 of 3 only] (Rouen: Theodor Reinsart, 1601)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● “inscription on fly-leaf ‘Dello Studio di Casa Cenami’” (Sotheby’s)
● Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872) (?)
● Sotheby Parke Bernet & Co., Bibliotheca Phillippica. New series: twentieth part: catalogue of Continental printed books, London, 28-29 November 1977, lot 5589 (“2 parts (of three) in one vol., device on title-pages, a few woodcuts, woodcut ornaments, ruled in red … contemporary French red morocco, gilt, panelled sides with fleurons at corners, in the centre a lion within a wreath (of the Cenami family of Lucca), spine and hinges repaired, partly laid down, g.e.”) [RBH 28 Nov 1977-5589]
● Wells - bought in sale (£95)
● Sotheby Parke Bernet & Co., Valuable printed books and manuscripts, London, 29-30 June 1983, lot 535 (“contemporary red morocco, gilt panelled sides, in the centre a lion rampant within a wreath, flat spine gilt, g.e., ties missing, repairs to spine and hinges, some discolouration of binding”) [RBH SERPENT-535]


(7) Joachim Du Bellay, Les oeuvres francoises (Rouen: Raphaël du Petit Val, 1597)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● “inscription on fly-leaf ‘Dello Studio di Casa Cenami’” (Heilbrun)
● Georges Heilbrun, Paris; their Catalogue 4: Éditions originales anciennes et modernes: quelques autographes littéraires: provenant en partie de la bibliothèque d’un amateur (Paris [1952]), item 355 (“Il porte sur la garde l’inscription Della studio di Casa Cenami”)
● Pierre Berès, Paris (?) [Jean-Baptiste de Proyart, in his Catalogue Varia 3 (Paris [2012]), item 11, reports this volume in the stock of Berès: “On sait aussi qu’il posséda un Du Bellay (Oeuvres, 1597) et un Ronsard (Oeuvres, 1597, 10 tomes en 5 volumes), tous deux passés entre les mains de Pierre Berès.”]


(8) Claude Fauchet, Les Antiquitez gauloises (Paris 1599)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● “portant cette inscription au verso de la première garde blanche: ‘Dello studio di Casa Cenami’” (Alde)
● “ex-libris manuscrit non identifé au verso de la marque typographique” (Proyart)
● “Ex-libris manuscrit du dix-huitième siècle de Bernardin Baroni à la fin de l’ouvrage” (Alde; Proyart: “Bernardino Baroni (1695-1781), historien lui-même originaire de Lucques, avec la mention: ‘Ce livre est à moy Bernardin Baroni’”)
● “Ex-libris décollé gravé sur cuivre de Giorgi, dataire du Saint Siège” (Alde)
● “Enveloppe timbrée du 21 septembre 1854 adressée à M. Ville, curé à Bédouin dans le Vaucluse” (Alde; Proyart: “Seguin, libraire, éditeur et imprimeur d’Avignon pendant tout le XIXe siècle, avec une bande d’envoi postal”)
● Alde & Éric Busser, Livres anciens et modernes, Paris, 11 December 2010, lot 101 [link] [RBH 15685-101]
● unidentified owner - bought in sale (€3600)
● Jean Baptiste de Proyart, Paris; their Varia 3 (Paris [2012]), item 11; Catalogue 8 (Paris 2016), item 22


(9) Robert Garnier, Les tragedies de Robert Garnier conseiller dv roy, Lieutenant general Criminel au siege Presidial & Seneschaussee du Maine. Av roy de France & de Polongne (Rouen: Raphaël du Petit Val, 1599)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● Edward Davies Davenport (1778-1847), of Capesthorne, Chelford, Cheshire, armorial exlibris
● William Bromley-Davenport (1821-1884) [Edward’s nephew and eventual heir]
● Sotheby Wilkinson & Hodge, Catalogue of a selected portion of the library of W. Bromley-Davenport, Esq., Capesthorne, Chelford, Cheshire, London, 10-11 May 1907, lot 154 (“ruled in red, old French red morocco, line gilt frame ornaments, with centre devices, g.e., genuine copy”)
● J. & J. Leighton, London - bought in sale (£3 5s)
● Librairie Damascène Morgand, Paris; their Bulletin, Nouvelle série - No. 17, novembre 1913 (Paris 1913), item 250 (FF 200; “mar. rouge, dos orné, double encadrement de fil. et milieux, tr. dor. (Re. anc.) … Bel exemplaire dans sa reliure originale en maroquin; dans le milieu des plats et sur le dos un petit lion”)
● André-Michel Suquet (1907-1991)
● Maurice Rheims, R.-G. Laurin, P. Rheims & Jacqueline Vidal-Mégret, Bibliothèque A.M.S. Livres et manuscrits du XVIe siècle au XXe siècle, Paris, 20-21 March 1969, lot 7 (illustrated; “Nous trouvons dans le catalogue Pierre Berès No 60, un Ronsard de 1597 en 5 volumes (reproduction dans le cat.) dans une reliure à peu près identique et avec les mêmes provenances”)
● unidentified owner - bought in sale (FF 1500)
● Georges Heilbrun, Paris; their Catalogue 36: Livres ayant appartenu à des amateurs célèbres (Paris 1971), item 18 (FF4200; “Quelques poètes français en éditions des dernières années du XVIe siècle, reliés tous de même, et dont quelques-uns portaient la mention manuscrite: Dello studio di casa Cenami, furent trouvés vers 1500 … (Ronsard de 1597 du cat. Berès no. 60; Du Bellay de 1597 du cat. Heilbrun no. 4”)
● Librairie Lardanchet, Paris
● T. Kimball Brooker (purchased from the above, 2001) [Bibliotheca Brookeriana ID #2418; to be offered by Sotheby’s in 2024-2025]


(10) Paolo Giovio, Pavli Iovii Novocomensis episcopi nvcerini, Historiarum svi temporis tomvs primvs, xxiiii libros complectens, cvm indice plenissimo (Paris: Michel de Vascosan, 1558)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● Marcel Chatillon (d. 2002)
● Ader Tajan & Bernard Clavreuil, Christophe Colomb et les premiers voyageurs en Amérique; livres et manuscrits précieux du XVe au XVIIe siècle, Paris, 30 March 1992, lot 39 (“maroquin brun, dos a nerfs orne de fleurons et d’un motif héraldique, double encadrement de filets dores sur les plats avec fleurons d’angle, écoinçons et médaillon central de feuillages avec armoiries, tranches dorées … Bel exemplaire orné des armoiries du banquier italien Bartolomeo Cenani (1556-1611), conseiller et secrétaire de Henri IV, dont il fut un des principaux financiers. C’est très récemment que Jean Balsamo a attribué ces armoiries qui étaient non identifiées dans l’armorial du bibliophile d’Olivier-Hermal-Roton”)
● unidentified owner - bought in sale (FF 18,500)
● Librairie Thomas-Scheler, Paris
● T. Kimball Brooker (purchased from the above, 1992) [Bibliotheca Brookeriana ID #2292; offered by Sotheby’s, Bibliotheca Brookeriana: A Renaissance Library. Magnificent Books and Bindings, New York, 11 October 2023, lot 41]


(11) Quintus Horatius Flaccus, Quincti Horatii Flacci Venusini, poetae lyrici elegantiss. opera: grammaticorum XL. tam antiquiss. quàm neotericorum partim iustis commentariis, partim succinctis annotationibus, singulari studio, & amplissimis sumptibus in unum corpus collectis, illustrata: variisque ac vetustissimis exemplaribus collata, & menda in iisdem sublata: quorum auth. nomina & ordinem sequens pagina demonstrabit: iam pridem in studiosae iuventutis gratiam et utilitatem post Herculeos labores edita: cum gemino indice rerum, verborum ac sententiarum locupletissimo (Basel: Sebastian Henricpetri, 1580)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● unidentified owner, inscription “Dello Studio di Casa Cenami” on endleaf (17C)
● Francesco Maria Conti, inscription on title-page
● Conte Lelio Orsetti (1856-1931)
● Librairie Legueltel, Paris
● Ader Picard Tajan, Pierre & Jean Chrétien with Claude Guérin, Précieux livres & manuscrits provenant des Successions Legueltel et à divers amateurs: Livres de grandes bibliothèques; provenances célèbres; livres du XVIe siècle à gravures sur bois, reliures mosaïquées du XVIIIe siècle, illustrés du XVIIIe siècle, Paris, 14 November 1979, lot 67
● Librairie Patrick et Elisabeth Sourget, Chartres
● T. Kimball Brooker (purchased from the above, 1990) [Bibliotheca Brookeriana ID #2383]
● Sotheby’s Bibliotheca Brookeriana: A Renaissance Library, Part V, London, 10 December 2024, lot 1126 [link] [RBH L24405-1126]
● unidentified owner - bought in sale (£3810)

literature
Mostra storica della legatura artistica in Palazzo Pitti (Florence 1922), no. 198 (“Conte Lelio Orsetti, Lucca”)
Balsamo, op. cit., p.413


(12) Claude Paradin, Alliances généalogiques des rois et princes de Gaule (Lyon: Jean de Tournes, 1561)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● Jean-Baptiste de Proyart, Paris (“Cet exemplaire a en effet été relié pour Barthélemy Cenami (1556-1611), ou pour son père Génome. Il porte leur pièce d’armes, le fameux lion que l’on trouve tantôt orienté vers la gauche ou vers la droite comme ici et sur le Desportes des ventes Berès (II, n° 70). Il ne présente pas l’inscription que l’on trouve sur quelques-uns de leurs livres identifiés : Dello studio di Casa Cenami. Le renouvellement des gardes a sans doute fait disparaître l’inscription manuscrite que l’on retrouve sur bon nombre de ces reliures (Dello studio di Casa Cenami). Elle était néanmoins absente du Roman y Zamora dont les gardes originelles avaient été conservées.” [link]) [image, link]


(13) Alessandro Piccolomini, De la sfera del mondo, di Alisandro Piccolomini, diuisa in libri quattro, i quali non per uia di traduttione, ne à quali si uoglia particolare scritture obligati, ma parte da migliori raccogliendo, e parte di nuouo producendo, contengono in se tutto quel ch'intorno à tal materia si possa desiderare, ridotti à tanta aggeuolezza, et à così facil modo di dimostrare, che qual si uoglia poco essercitato ne gli studij di matematica potrà ageuolissimamente, et con pestrezza intenderne il tutto; di nuouo ricorretta, et ampliata (Venice: Giovanni Varisco & Co., 1559)

Image courtesy of Federico Macchi

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● Parma, Biblioteca Palatina, Pal. 10742 (opac pelle; sui piatti impressioni in oro (leone rampante); sul dorso nervature, decorazioni e tit. impressi in oro; tagli dorati [link]; Catalogo Alvisi, [link])


(14-15) Jerónimo Román, Republicas del mundo divididas en XXVII libros (Medina del Campo: Francisco del Canto, 1575)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● Sotheby’s, Music, Continental and Russian books and manuscripts, London, 28 May 2015, lot 71 (“Contemporary Parisian chestnut morocco gilt, possibly by the Eve bindery, covers with leafy centre- and cornerpieces within a panel of double gilt fillets, small lion stamp at centre, small cherub stamp in cornerpieces, spines gilt in compartments with leafy and lion stamps, gilt edges … The cornerpieces are identical to those on a binding in the British Library (Henry Davis Gift 109), which is described as being possibly by the Eve bindery in Paris (active 1560-1634).”)
● unidentified owner – bought in sale (£5000) [RBH L15402-71]
● “Giuseppe Consigli (note biffée sur la garde, suivie de la date 1796” (Proyart; Sotheby’s: “Jo. Giuseppe Consigli, inscription on inside front cover of volume 1 dated 1796”]
● Jean-Baptiste de Proyart, Paris; their Catalogue 8 (Paris 2016), item 20 (“Maroquin brun, décor doré, pièce d’armes dans un médaillon à motif de feuillage au centre des plats, écoinçons à même motif et figure d’angelot, fleuron d’angle à motif azuré, encadrement de filets, dos à nerfs avec le même écoinçon et la pièce d’arme au centre des dos, tranches dorées, traces de rubans.” [link])
● Providence, RI, John Carter Brown Library, 1-SIZE BA575 .R758r (opac, [link])


(16) Pierre de Ronsard, Les oeuvres (Paris: Widow of Gabriel Buon, 1597)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● Edward Davies Davenport (1778-1847), exlibris
● Pierre Berès, Paris; their Catalogue 60: Manuscrits et livres du quatorzième au seizième siècle (Paris 1963), (included in “Collection Ronsard,” illustrated; “10 tomes en 5 vol. in-12, reliures de l’époque maroquin olive … aux armes de Bartolomeo Cenami”)
● Robert Danon
● Laurin Guilloux Buffetaud & Pierre Berès, Manuscrits enluminés et livres rares - collection Robert Danon, Paris, 21 March 1973, lot 104
● unidentified owner - bought in sale (FF 30,000)


(17) Torquato Tasso, Goffredo, ouero Gierusalemme liberata, poema heroico del s. Torquato Tasso, nel quale sono state aggiunte molte stanze leuate, con le varie lettioni; & postoui gli argomenti, & allegorie a ciascun canto d'incerto auttore (Venice: Altobello Salicato, 1593)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● Guglielmo Bruto Icilio Tirnoleone, Count Libri (Libri-Carrucci) (1803-1869)
● S. Leigh Sotheby & John Wilkinson, Catalogue of the choicer portion of the magnificent library, formed by M. Guglielmo Libri, London, 1-15 August 1859, lot 2588 (“Fine copy in contemporary citron morocco, gilt edges, having a lion rampant within a wreath worked in gold as centres for the sides, which shows that this copy belonged to Cl. Nic. Lalaure, a celebrated collector of the beginning of the XVIIth century” [link]) [the Lalaure and Cenami arms are not comparable; in the Lalaure insignia, the lion is crowned: “de sable, au lion couronné accosté de deux branches de laurier”]
● Thomas & William Boone, London - bought in sale (£2 13s)
● J. & J. Leighton, London; their Catalogue of early-printed, and other interesting books, manuscripts, and fine bindings, offered for sale by J. & J. Leighton (London [1905]), item 5427 (£5 5s; illustrated p.1442; “contemporary French olive brown morocco, with gilt line borders on sides with leaves at outer angles, surrounding the device of Cl. Nic. Lalaure (a lion rampant in the center of a large wreath), back with gold lines and leaves in centre of panels, one having the lion repeated, gilt edges” [link])
● George Dunn (1865-1912)
● Sotheby Wilkinson & Hodge, Catalogue of the valuable & extensive library formed by George Dunn, Third and final portion, London, 22-29 November 1917, lot 3784 (“old French brown morocco, gilt floreate back, line sides with corner fleurons and a floreate wreath in centres enclosing a lion rampant, the device of Ch. Nic. Lalaure; g.e.” [link])
● Edwin Parsons, London - bought in sale (£14)
● Maggs Bros, London; their Catalogue 380: Manuscripts and early printed books selected from the stock (London 1919), item 2227 (£12 12s; “Contemporary French olive brown morocco, with gilt line borders on sides with leaves at outer angles, surrounding the device of Cl. Nic. Lalaure (a lion rampant; in the centre of a large wreath), back with gold lines and leaves in centre of panels, one having the lion repeated, gilt edges.” [link])
● Wannenes, Auction 543: Libri e manoscritti, Milan, 19 December 2024, lot 20 (“Copia in bella legatura francese del XVIII secolo alle armi del giurista Claude Lalure appartenuta al noto collezionista britannico George Dunn, la cui biblioteca di Wooley Hall venne venduta da Sotheby's tra il 1914 e il 1917. Legatura in marocchino del XVIII secolo alle armi di Claude Nicolas Lalaure (1722-1781) un leone entro corona di alloro, decori e titoli in oro al dorso, tagli dorati (minimi difetti). Provenienza: George Dunn (1865-1912) ex libris alle sguardie” [link])


(18) Flavius Vegetius Renatus, Flavi Vegeti Renati, viri inl. De re militari libri quatuor. Post omnes omnium editiones, ope veterum librorum correcti, a Godescalco stweechio Heusdano. Accesserunt Sex. Iuli Frontini Stratagematon libri quatuor. Aelianus De instruendis aciebus. Modestus de vocabulis rei militaris: Castrametatio Romanorum ex historiis Polybii (Leiden: Franciscus I Raphelengius (Officina Plantiniana), 1592)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● Giovanni Francesco Antonio Viligiardi, deputato Collegio medico di Firenze, inscription “Io. Fran. Viligiardi” on title-page (18C)
● Librairie de la Seine, Paris; their Catalogue (Paris 2002), item 131 (Christie’s)
● Michel Wittock (1936-2020)
● Christie Manson & Woods, The Michel Wittock collection. Part I, Important Renaissance bookbindings, London, 7 July 2004, lot 117 [RBH 6996-117]
● T. Kimball Brooker (purchased at the above sale) [Bibliotheca Brookeriana ID #2412; offered by Sotheby’s, Bibliotheca Brookeriana: A Renaissance Library, Part V, London, 10 December 2024, lot 1231]


(19) Publius Vergilius Maro, Symbolarum libri XVII. Quibus P. Virgilii Maronis Bucolica, Georgica, Aeneis, ex probatissimis auctoribus declarantur, comparantur, illustrantur. Per Jacobum pontanum de Societate Jesu (Augsburg: Hans Schultes (Ad insigne pinus), 1599)

provenance
● Cenami, family library, probably Bartolommeo (Barthélémy) Cenami (1556-1611), armorial supralibros
● inscription, “Dello Studio di Casa Cenami”
● Francesco Maria Conti, inscription on title-page
● Librairie Legueltel, Paris
● Ader Picard Tajan & Pierre et Jean Chrétien with Claude Guérin, Précieux livres & manuscrits provenant des Successions Legueltel et à divers amateurs: Livres de grandes bibliothèques; provenances célèbres; livres du XVIe siècle à gravures sur bois, reliures mosaïquées du XVIIIe siècle, illustrés du XVIIIe siècle, Paris, 14 November 1979, lot 67
● Martin Breslauer Inc., New York; their Catalogue 111: Rare books, manuscripts, autographs: A selection arranged according to subjects (New York 1994), item 106 ($15,000)
● T. Kimball Brooker (purchased from the above, 1994) [Bibliotheca Brookeriana ID #2417; offered by Sotheby’s, Bibliotheca Brookeriana: A Renaissance Library, Part V, London, 10 December 2024, lot 1237]

literature
Balsamo, op. cit., p.415 & Fig. 2 (“Collection particulière”)