Sallustius Crispus, Gaius: Opera.
Contents: De coniuratione Catilinae; De bello Jugurthino.
[Italy: Printer of Sallustius 'Opera' (H 14196)], 1470.
Fol. [1-510 66]. [56] leaves, leaf 20 blank.
ISTC is00052000; GW M39530; Goff S52; BMC VII 1122 (IB. 36814); CIBN S-18.
| GIP number: | S4 |
| Shelf-mark: | Sp Coll Hunterian Bg.2.30 (see main library entry for this item) |
| Note: | The book is found in both folio and quarto formats. This copy is folio (using Chancery paper), with vertical chainlines and watermarks centered in the leaves. |
| Provenance: | Vicenza, Monastero di San Bartolomeo: early inscription on 6/6v (f. 56v) "Iste liber est s[an]cti B[ar]th[olomae]i de Vincentia , & ad usum domjni Justinj Vincentinj que[m] de suis sumptibus emit". Justinus Vincentinus / Giustino da Vicenza (15th/16th century): see above. Joseph Smith (1673/4?-1770), British Consul in Venice: a copy of this book is listed in the Consul Smith catalogues: 'Catalogus librorum rarissimum …', [Padua: Stamperia Cominiana, 1724], no. 187; 'Catalogus librorum rarissimorum …', [Venice: Pasquali, 1737], no. 202; 'Bibliotheca Smithiana …', Venice: Pasquali, 1755, p. CCCCXX. Smith’s library was sold to George III in 1762; however, the copy of this book surviving in the Royal Library is the Harleian copy, not the Consul Smith copy; based on the evidence of the binding (similar to other items from Smith’s library and with the stamp of George III) and the Vicenza monastic provenance (shared with at least one other book in Smith’s library), there is a strong possibility that the Hunterian copy is the Consul Smith copy (ex. inf. John Goldfinch, British Library). George III (1738-1820), King of Great Britain and Ireland: see 'Binding'. William Hunter (1718-1783), physician and anatomist: source unknown. University of Glasgow: Hunterian bequest, 1807; Hunterian Museum book label and bookplate on front pastedown, with former shelfmark "X.4.12". |
| Binding: | Italy, early 18th-century parchment with fore-edge cover extensions; red leather title label on spine; early parchment flyleaves (the rear flyleaf blank, the front flyleaf blank but scored). In the centre of both covers, stamped in gilt, is the coat of arms of King George III "within the Garter, with the 'George' jewel, and the badges and collars of the Orders of the Thistle and the Bath (Civil), with their respective mottoes, Nemo me impune lacessit and Tria juncta in uno" - cf. C. Davenport, 'English heraldic book-stamps', p. 183. Attempts were made at some point in the 18th century to hide both coats of arms by the superimposition of two oval-shaped pieces of tooled leather - subsequently removed revealing staining from the leather, or its adhesive, together with traces of the tooling. Size: 277 x 195 mm. |
| Leaf size: | 270 x 188 mm. |
| Annotations: | On verso of the blank 2/10 (f. 20) "De Bello Jugurtino" in a 17th/18th-century hand; below the colophon on 6/6v (f. 56v), and probably in the same hand, "Distichon Martialis in Salustium. Hic erit ut perhibent Doctorum corda Virorum. Primus Romana Crispus in historia" (i.e. Martial, 'Epigrammata' XIV, 'Apophoreta', CXCI). |
| Decoration: | Initials supplied in blue or red throughout. |
| Imperfections: | None. |
