P. Virgilii Maronis Opera; Ex Antiquis Monimentis Illustrata Cura, Studio & Sumtibus Henrici Justice Armigeri, Rufforthii Toparchae

(The Hague): Henricus Justice, 1765. First Thus. Hardcover. Very good. Light rubbing to joints, with light edgewear. Light foxing throughout otherwise clean texts. Bindings square & tight.. Complete in five volumes, bound in three. 8vo. 6.25 x 9.5 in. [18], 139 + [1]; [14], 142; [6], 155 + [1], [2] + 87 + [1] pp. Bound for Anatole de Montaiglon in polished red quarter-calf over brown marbled paper, titled in gilt on spine, top edge gilt; with Dutch double-comb marbled endpapers. Numerous vignettes, plates & portraits by Venetian engraver Giovanni Marco Pitteri. Vol. 5 contains the Index by Christoph Saxe; Vol. 2 includes a folding map ('Aeneae Errores') engraved by Herman Condet. Based on the critical text of Pieter Burman and Nicolaas Heinsius. The infamous Henry Justice, Lord of the Manor of Rufforth, inveterate bibliophile and book-thief, was eventually sentenced to exile for robbing the Cambridge University Library, before residing in Italy & expiring at The Hague. Henry's wife, travel-writer Elizabeth Justice, noted that his love of books destroyed their lives and marriage. This set belonged to prolific & notable French librarian Anatole de Montaiglon, with his gilt monograms ornamenting spines and exquisite bookplates adorning front pastedowns, 'de jour | en jour | en apprenant | mourant'. This deluxe edition is rather scarce because the Empress of Russia, Catherine II (to whom the final volume is dedicated) bought nearly all the copies. An exceedingly uncommon, handsome set.