Volume, che contiene li Statuti della Sacra Religione Gerosolimitana.
Borgonuovo, Bartolomeo Cotta, 1676
An extremely rare first edition, the first book printed in Borgonuovo at the private printing house of the Marquises Spinola. It contains the statutes and privileges of the Order of Malta, published by Marquis Paolo Rafaele Spinola, who signed the dedication to Grand Master Cotoner. The allegorical titlepages and the portrait of Grand Master Coroner are copper engravings by Albert Clouwet.
The volume is divided into three parts and contains six sections: Ordinances of the last General Chapter held in the year 1631 (I, p. 244); Ordinances of the General Chapter held in the year 1631 (II, p. 180); Ceremonial regarding the election of the Grand Master (III, p. 12); Instructions for the trial (IV, p. 10); The Order to be observed in conferring the Cross of St John of Jerusalem (V, p. 10); Privileges of the Holy Order (VI, p. 100). Detailed indexes follow the three main parts.
Paolo Rafaele Spinola was, at the time, Admiral General of the Galleys of Malta.
Fumagalli, Lexicon Typographicum, p. 48; Hellwald, 218. 1; Saffroy, n° 5264, Bambi & Conigliello, n°198 (edition of 1719).
3 parts in a folio volume. 282x195 mm. Contemporary full marbled brown leather binding, with gilt decoration and title on the ribbed spine, edges gilt.
I: 6 unnumbered pages, including a title page, an allegorical title page engraved on copper, a full-page portrait engraved on copper, [18], 244, [62]; [4, allegorical title-page engraved with the date 1674, engraved portrait], 180, [30].
II: Pages [2, with portrait], 12, including printed title-page with the date 1674, [2, with portrait], 10, 10;
III: Pages [4, with allegorical title page engraved and dated 1674, Portrait], 100, [16].
Illustrated woodcut initials, round and italic typeface, printed marginalia.
In total 3 allegorical title pages and 5 full-page portraits, all engraved on copper. Numerous handwritten notes in contemporary hand in the margins, in Italian, in clear black ink. Ownership signature in the lower margin of the first allegorical titlepage: ‘Antoine Godefroy d’Yzarn De Freissinet’. Slight signs of wear to the binding; a fine copy with wide margins.