Beschreibung:

[Holy Roman Empire]. Le institutioni dell'Imperio contenute nella Bolla d[‘]oro, nuouamente dalla latina nella uolgar lingua tradotte. [Venice]: Accademia Veneziana, [1558 (1559) ?] [Bound with:] Faenzi, Valerio. [I diece [sic] circoli dell'Imperio.] [Venice]: Accademia Veneziana, 1558 The Syston Park copy. First editions of two legal works relating to the Holy Roman Empire; the first is an Italian translation (by Luca Contile) of the Golden Bull, promulgated by Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1356, which established the procedures and privileges involved in electing the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. The charter denied the pope's claim to the right of intervention in the election. Two volumes in one, 4to (190 x 137 mm). Roman type, 24+33 lines plus headline. collation: (1) A-Q4 (lacking A4 blank): 63 leaves; collation: (2) A-K4 (lacking preliminary quire a, including title, and K3-4): 38 leaves. First volume with engraved device on title-page. (A few tiny wormholes at inner margin.) binding: Nineteenth-century English blue morocco (199 x 153 mm), by R. Storr of Grantham, covers with three gilt fillets around sides forming border with gilt palmette roll and blind floral roll, gilt Aldine device at center, spine with bands in five gilt compartments, all edges gilt, red endpapers. (Trifle rubbed at head and tail of spine.)
provenance: Samuel Quicchelberg (1529-1567), inscription dated 1561, partially obscured — unidentified owner, inscription, “C.J.V. Thomasis,” perhaps Joseph von Thomasis (Conte, or Cavaliere Giuseppe de Thomasis; 1767-1837), who donated "una ricca biblioteca" to the Real Collegio degli Abruzzi — Sir John Thorold, 9th Bt. (1734-1815) — Sir John Hayford Thorold, 10th Bt. (1773-1831), bookplate to pastedown — Sir John Henry Thorold, 12th Bt. (1842-1922); his sale, Sotheby's London, 12-19 December 1884, lot 327 — Bernard Quaritch, London 1885, item 98; Bernard Quaritch, London 1888, item 36968 — Sotheby’s London, 23-24 February 1959, lot 179. acquisition: Purchased from Alan G. Thomas, London, 1963. references: (1) UCLA 564; Renouard 274/17; Edit16 7815; USTC 803979; (2) UCLA 563; Renouard 273/16; Edit16 18492; USTC 828622