Beschreibung:

BINDING by Iulio Federico JONI (b. 1865/6) -- Painted 'tavolette' book covers in Biccherna style (865 x 290mm). Two rounded wooden covers joined by a leather spine blindstamped wth intersecting quadruple fillets, the front panel depicting Arrighi presenting a written grant to Bergeni, 5 youths behind, two standing beneath an arch, a river and hills in the background, the rear panel recording the gift of land by B. Arrighi to Laura Bergeni, notarised by Fra. Girolamo Monaco in 1465, each panel with six coats-of-arms at the side and 4 metal bosses (crack in each board, some ?intentional wear, lacking three clasps). Top-opening wooden and plexiglass case (990 x 400mm), deep red velvet lining (a few nicks and scratches). [Siena: late 19th century]. A RARE EXAMPLE OF THE WORK OF THE 19TH-CENTURY BINDING FORGER, JULIO FEDERICO JONI. Joni was a Sienese painter and restorer who produced imitations of the wooden panel bindings ( tavolette della biccherna ) used to cover the accounts of Siena from the 13th to the 15th centuries. While he sold a number of his bindings as 15th-century originals, he also openly described his forgery work in his autobiography (1932, English trans. 1936), even detailing his technique. Joni, by his own admission, never visited the city archives to examine a genuine example of the tavolette bindings. Somewhat curiously, he appears to have intentially made his forgeries anachronistic. From 1459 the accounts were bound in leather and the tavolettes, although still created, had evolved to become paintings on wood framed for hanging. Joni's bindings, however, all bear dates after 1459; the present example, for instance, is dated 1465. At least 14 examples of Joni bindings are known, and they have graced some of the most renowned collections of bibliophiles, such as Borghese, Hoe, and Wilmerding (cf. Nixon). Lady Wantage even commissioned a binding from Joni in 1904, evidence of their cach. See H.M. Nixon, 'Binding Forgeries', Transactions of the the VIth International Congress of Bibliophiles, 1969 , Vienna: 1971, pp.69-83; and M.Foot, 'A Pair of Bookcovers of the late 19th Century by I.F. Joni', The Book Collector , 1985, pp.488-89.