A Thomas Wotton binding on a C16th copy of Petrarch and rebound by Sangorski for Bernard Quaritch

PETRARCA, Francesco. Il Petrarca con l’espositione di M. Alessandro Vellutello. Venice: Nicolo Bevilacqua, 1563

[24], 213 (leaves) i.e. 426, [6] pp a very clean copy, the text printed attractively in a single italic column surrounded by commentary in smaller roman type. Woodcut device and vignette on title, headpieces and initials.
Binding
The calf panels of the present binding can be associated with t he first group, bearing a small armorial stamp surrounded by an elegant strapwork design in black, with richly gilt tendrils, foliage and blossom s filled with gilt dotting. Modern calf by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, inlaid with calf panels of a binding for Thomas Wotton, tooled to a gilt and black-ribbon interlace design, Wotton arms in centre, his arms on back cover with white paint. A little rubbed, some interlace chipped.

Provenance
1. Thomas Wotton (1521-1587) binding panels only. A calligraphic note records that the panels had been previously inserted onto a copy of Richard Payne Knight’s Remains of the Worship of Priapus, 1786, presented to the 5th Earl of Chesterfiled by the Society of Dilettanti (recorded by W. E. Moss in his monograph on Wotton under no. 114).
2. Thore Virgin (1886-1957)
3. Rolf Wistrand
4. Christie’s ‘Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts’ Sale 5822 Lot 191 Monday 1 June 2009

References
USTC 847879; Edit16 CNCE 33478

Institutional Copies
Only 2 copies recorded in UK libraries (Bl, Bodleian), only 4 c opies recorded
in the USA.