Beschreibung:

Agustín, Antonio I discorsi... sopra le medaglie et altre anticaglie, divisi in XI dialoghi. [Rome: Ascanio and Girolamo Donangeli, 1592] 4to (217 x 162mm.), engraved title-page, engraved portrait on verso of title, 35 double-sided engraved plates numbered 3-72, slight misprint on I3, old vellum, title lettered along foot of textblock, title-page slightly soiled, occasional light damp-staining, a few small marginal wormholes, upper hinge broken and upper joint cracked, binding soiled, lacking two pairs of ties Agustín, the archbishop of Tarragona, wrote these dialogues on coins and medals to provide a profitable pastime for students, because of the vast educational potential of these items, from portraiture to history to economics to architecture. The Donangeli brothers in Rome issued another version of this work with an additional two leaves at the front containing a title-page with imprint and a letterpress dedication to Cardinal Caetano dated 1 May 1592. LITERATURE: Dekesel A27; Edit16 562; Palau 4100 PROVENANCE: "Rob: Cotton" and "John Flaxman", signatures at head of title-page, and "Robert Cotton" on A1; British Museum, blue ink stamp at foot of second leaf (indicating this came to the Museum from the Old Royal Library), and "duplicate for sale 1769" stamp Sir Robert Cotton (1571-1631), a prolific collector of books and manuscripts, was an early member of the Society of Antiquaries. He learned some Italian from John Florio. His library was one of the largest of its time and the manuscripts eventually formed the nucleus of the new British Museum.The British Museum held its first sale of duplicates at Baker and Leigh in April 1769; in general the better copy was put up for sale in order to raise the maximum income. John Flaxman (1755-1826), the artist and sculptor, spent the years 1787-1794 in Italy to develop his artistic knowledge. He was renowned for his outline illustrations for the works of Homer, Dante and Aeschylus as well as designs for Josiah Wedgwood These engravings of coins would have been useful sources for his silhouette and outline compositions.Condition reportCondition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate Condition 11 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers (Online Only) is not applicable to this lot. The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The