M. T. Ciceronis Orationum Volumen Primum. Pars II Cum correctionibus Pauli Manutii. Pars III. by Cicero, Marcus Tullius - 1519

Venice: 1519 (Venetiis in aedibus Aldi, et Andreae soceri, mense Ianvario., 1519 First edition of Volume I (January 1519); later editions of Volume II (1554) and Volume III (1546) [originally May and August 1519]. Woodcut Aldine device to titles and additionally to verso of colophons of Vol II and III, Vol III with title device hand-colored, italic type, initial spaces with guide letters. Collation: Vol I: [11], 350, [1]; Vol II: [3], 295, [1]; [3] 271 leaves. Uniformly bound in 18th century polished calf, with five raised bands to spines, spines decorated with gilt flowers and leaves, title and volume in gilt to dark brown morocco labels, boards ruled in gilt, edges stained red, gilt turn-ins, marbled endpapers. A very good set, hinges cracked and holding, spine ends and corners rubbed, spine heads with some chipping (most notably to Vol I), a few scattered stains to calf but bindings generally very clean, interiors bright and clean with very light foxing to rear endleaves only, silk bookmarks intact, bookplate of Alexandre Paul Rosenberg to each volume on front pastedowns, Vol I with former owner inscription and small hole to front endpaper, faded former owner inscription to title. USTC 822103. Provenance: From the library of Alexandre Paul Rosenberg, with his bookplate, which was designed by Pablo Picasso. This set contains all three volumes of Cicero's Orations, printed in Venice by the Aldine Press. The first volume is the rare first edition, printed by Aldus Manutius' business partner Andrea Torresani and his sons, shortly after Manutius' death in 1515. Volumes II and III were printed by Aldus' son Paulus Manutius, once he became old enough to take over the press. Paul Rosenberg (1881-1959) was a French art collector and dealer, who represented early modern painters in Paris and New York. Pablo Picasso was present at his son Alexandre Paul Rosenberg's birth in 1921. Alexandre became a gallerist and founding president of the Art Dealers Association of America. He and Picasso remained lifelong friends; Picasso gifted this bookplate design, as well as the original woodblocks, to Alexandre around 1935.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good.