Vita di Benvenuto Cellini..

Naples, 1728. da lui medesimo scritta, nella quale molte curiose particolarità si toccano appartenenti alle arti ed all'istoria del suo tempo, tratta da un'ottimo manoscritto, e dedicato all'eccellenza di mylord Riccardo Boyle...In Colonia [i.e., Naples]: Per Pietro Martello, [1728].

First edition of Cellini's autobiography, a classic of Italian Renaissance literature. Quarto (10J x 7G inches; 256 x 186 mm.). [16], 318 pp. Title-page printed in red and black, with vignette. Ornamental initials.

Contemporary vellum over boards with brown leather spine label lettered in gilt. Edges stained green. Vellum slightly rubbed. Occasional light foxing, staining, or browning. Small tear at inner margin of title. With the bookplates of the Marchese Salsa, Viscount Dudley, and Richard Manney. A very good, crisp copy.

[Together with:]

CELLINI, Benvenuto. Vita di Benvenuto Cellini...da lui medesimo scritta...In Colonia [i.e., Florence]: Per Pietro Martello, [1791].

Second edition. Quarto (10L x 7H inches; 267 x 191 mm.). xvi, 318 pp. Title-page printed in red and black, with vignette. Ornamental initials and factotums.

Contemporary marbled boards. Gilt spine with red leather label. Extremities rubbed. Occasional light foxing, light dampstain to lower corner of last twelve leaves. With the bookplate of Richard Manney. Overall, very good. Housed together in a green cloth clamshell case.

Cellini composed his memoirs between 1558 and 1566. The original manuscript, part autograph and part dictated to his garzone (which may account for its extremely vivid and self-revealing manner), is in the Biblioteca Laurenziana, Florence. Cellini originally planned to publish his manuscript, and consulted Benedetto Varchi about it, but the plans were never realized, in large part apparently because the account of Cellini's quarrel with Cosimo de' Medici made the work inconvenient. The memoirs were resurrected in the eighteenth century by the naturalist Antonio Cocci, who saw them through the press under a false imprint, which was repeated in the second edition.

Cicognara 2231 and 2232.

HBS 66887.

$4,500.