BOCCACCIO, Giovanni (1313-1375). The Decameron containing An hundred pleasant Novels. Wittily discoursed, betweene seaven honourable Ladies, and three Noble Gentlemen . London: Isaac Jaggard, 1620. 2 volumes, 2 o in sixes and fours (273 x 174 mm). Errata leaf at end of volume I. Woodcut titles each with 6 vignettes, 98 woodcut vignettes in text chiefly repeating the title vignettes, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces. (Vol. I: lacks blanks Nn6, inner margin extended on A2, tear crossing text repaired on Bb3, paper flaws on M5 and R3 touching a few letters, a few small burn-holes occasionally touching letters, a few minor marginal repairs; Vol. II: lacks blank π1, title-border shaved along fore-margin, quire B short.) Modern burgundy morocco gilt, edges gilt, by Riviere. Provenance : Arthur A. Houghton (morocco booklabel) purchased at his sale, Christie's, London, 13 June 1979, lot 47 through John Howell Books, San Francisco. FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH, published by Jaggard three years prior to his printing of the Shakespeare First Folio. Shakespeare utilized Boccaccio's tales in several of his plays, possibly through French editions or at second hand. He may have encountered selections in William Painter's The Palace of Pleasure , 1566-67, which contained the first English translations of the stories found in Boccaccio, Bandello and other Italian novelists, for it is known that Shakespeare used Painter as the foundation for All's Well that Ends Well and also drew from it for other plays. This complete translation of The Decameron has been attributed by Douglas Bush to John Florio (Bush, English Literature in the Earlier Sixteenth Century ). Florio's Italian-English dictionary appeared in 1598 and his monumental translation of Montaigne (see lot 88) proved a strong influence on Shakespeare's later works. Grolier Wither to Prior 250 (incorrectly calling for 3 leaves in II:P); Pforzheimer 71; STC 3172. (2)
BOCCACCIO, Giovanni (1313-1375). The Decameron containing An hundred pleasant Novels. Wittily discoursed, betweene seaven honourable Ladies, and three Noble Gentlemen . London: Isaac Jaggard, 1620. 2 volumes, 2 o in sixes and fours (273 x 174 mm). Errata leaf at end of volume I. Woodcut titles each with 6 vignettes, 98 woodcut vignettes in text chiefly repeating the title vignettes, woodcut initials, head- and tail-pieces. (Vol. I: lacks blanks Nn6, inner margin extended on A2, tear crossing text repaired on Bb3, paper flaws on M5 and R3 touching a few letters, a few small burn-holes occasionally touching letters, a few minor marginal repairs; Vol. II: lacks blank π1, title-border shaved along fore-margin, quire B short.) Modern burgundy morocco gilt, edges gilt, by Riviere. Provenance : Arthur A. Houghton (morocco booklabel) purchased at his sale, Christie's, London, 13 June 1979, lot 47 through John Howell Books, San Francisco. FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH, published by Jaggard three years prior to his printing of the Shakespeare First Folio. Shakespeare utilized Boccaccio's tales in several of his plays, possibly through French editions or at second hand. He may have encountered selections in William Painter's The Palace of Pleasure , 1566-67, which contained the first English translations of the stories found in Boccaccio, Bandello and other Italian novelists, for it is known that Shakespeare used Painter as the foundation for All's Well that Ends Well and also drew from it for other plays. This complete translation of The Decameron has been attributed by Douglas Bush to John Florio (Bush, English Literature in the Earlier Sixteenth Century ). Florio's Italian-English dictionary appeared in 1598 and his monumental translation of Montaigne (see lot 88) proved a strong influence on Shakespeare's later works. Grolier Wither to Prior 250 (incorrectly calling for 3 leaves in II:P); Pforzheimer 71; STC 3172. (2)
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
