Del Decamerone, Volume I, Volume II

Amsterdamo: Di Messer, 1761. Hardcover. Good. 12mo 7" - 7. Solidly Good condition examplars of an often "false imprint" title (see below) during this era of publication, being a mid-18th century collection of stories of Eros and Cupid. Two handsome volumes in 12mo hardcover format, bound in calf leather, with five fine gilt fleurs-de-lis and five raised bands to spines, and gilt ruling to front and rear. Moderate rubbing to tips and edges, raised bands, with a ding to and some scratches of rear panel of Volume I. Small insect hole to the rear board of Volume I. Some slight rubbing to, mottling of leather of both front boards. Small period ink inscription to the first free endpapers. Light staining to upper corner of pages to volume II, with tide-lining here and there to Volume I. One endpaper present but detached, not containing text. Pulled endpaper, still attached, to Volume II. Blank edges and some margins a bit toned. Occasional period annotations to margins. Else, interiors clean, unmarked. Lovely black-and-white steel engraved title page vignettes, featuring Cupid bending the ear of a man (Boccaccio?) glancing up at the lovelies on the veranda's balcony, quite fine. From the previous owner's book description: "The Decameron is a collection of short stories by the 14th-century Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio (1313–1375). The book is structured as a frame story containing 100 tales told by a group of seven young women and three young men; they shelter in a secluded villa just outside Florence in order to escape the Black Death, which was afflicting the city. Boccaccio probably conceived of the Decameron after the epidemic of 1348 and completed it by 1353. The various tales of love in The Decameron range from the erotic to the tragic." Italian language texts. Short 12mo in format, and with unusually wide margins, making for easy reading. What makes this set unusual and valuable, however, is that it is a "false imprint." Owing usually to a controversial, often erotic nature, stories such as those compiled here were not easily claimed by printers and publishers as their own. Here, "Amsterdamo" appears in the imprint of this edition though it was more likely printed in Venice, perhaps by Antonio Locatelli, if the several similar editions available on-line are any clue, for example, the notice, "Si Vende Lire Venti Venete," at end of Volume II. A Swann Gallery catalogue notes that "false imprints" have been issued for hundreds of years, either to "duck a charge of heresy (no one wanted to run afoul of the Inquisition)" or to "stay out of hot water with the ruling powers." Most common in the hand-press period (roughly from the origins of the Gutenberg Bible's printing) until the birth and growth of the Industrial Revolution), "false imprints" helped to conceal the origins of the item altogether (in case of a controversial title or topic) or to trade on the good names and reputations of the better typographers and printers. xvi, 1-611l; [2], 3-493 pp.Member, I.O.B.A., C.B.A., and adherent to the highest ethical standards. Additional postage may be required for oversize or especially heavy volumes, and for sets.