Benvenuto Cellini, John Addington Symonds [trans.]. The Life of Benvenuto Cellini (Vol I and II) [Bayntun Fine Binding]. New York: Bretano's, 1906.
FINE BINDING & BESPOKE DETAILS
FIRST ED. (230 x 150 mm) V. 1: [2], half title, title, 360, [2]; V. 2: [2], half title, title, 387, [2]. Red historiated initials. Ornate title pages by T. M. Cleland. Each vol. contains 20 illustration; however, the binder has incorperated approximately 60 additional copper and steel plates drawn from historic sources ranging from certainly the 17th-19th centuries, possibly as early as the 16th c., some are finely and delcately hand coloured (complete list available). Bound in full calf with gilt line work on covers and spine; title, author, date in spine panels. Fore edges fully gilt, and gilt gaufferings around edges. Leather fold ins with gilt and black stamping. Purple marbled endpapers. Both marked Stewart Kidd Cincinnati at top and Bayntun Binder Bath Eng at bottom. Both have red silk-like book marks. NEAR FINE condition.
This is a beautiful example of Bayntun's 20th century work, coupled with the innovation of adding in additional plates to illustrate the text. The copper and steel printed plates have been gathered from French, Italian, and English sources and are dated or datable to the 17th-19th centuries, possibly into the late 15th century. A remarkably bespoke, unique luxury product.
Complete list of additional plates:
Vol I:Nicola Pisana (tipped in on passe partout) xii; Antonio Pollaivolo (tipped in on passe partout) xiv; Benedetto da Maiano (tipped in on passe partout) xvi; Desiderio da Settignano (mounted) xvi; Antonio Rossellino (copperplate) xvi; J. W. v. Goethe (copperplate) 4; Ritratto del Cardinale Bemo (copper plate) 16; Ariosto (tipped in on passe partout) 40; Palladio (copper plate) 40; Portait de Tintoret (copper plate ) 42; Tasso (copper plate) 42; Baccio da Monte Lupo (copper plate) 50; William Roscoe (copper plate) 58; View of Rome (bifolium copper plate) 72; Nicolas Machiavel (copper plate) 82; Iulius (tipped in on passe partout) 82; Pope Clement VII (tipped in on passe partout) 84; Charles V Emperor of Germany (tipped in on passe partout) 88; Rubens (copperplate) 96; Coleseum, Rome (copper plate) 102; Raphael d'Urbin (copper plate) 112; Venice (bifolium copper plate, with Parisiian booksellers stamp) 156; François I (copper plate) 164; Castle of S. Angelo (copper plate) 170; Fulvius Ursinus (mounted) 180; Paolo Romano (copper plate) 184; Cardinal Hippolito de Medici (steel plate); 206; Bramante ( copper plate) 230; Catherine in 1555 (copper plate) 268; Iacomo Sansovino (tipped in on passe partout) 282, Nocolo detto il Tribolo (tipped in on passe partout) 282; Dante (copper plate) 306 ; Bologna (tipped in on passe partout) 340; The Bernese Alps (copper plate) 344; Val Vedro (copper plate) 354.
Vol II: Castle and bridge of S. Angelo Rome (copper plate) as frontispiece; Savonarola (tipped in on passe partout) 14; Pious II (tipped in on passe partout) 36; Colummn of Phocas (copper plate) 72; Cour des Fountaines (folded plate) 110; Leonardo da Vinci (steel plate) 116; Duchess d'Etampes (steel plate) 124; Charles, Cardinal de Lorraine (copper plate) 126; Vue Pont Neuf (tipped in on passe partout) 128; Palace St Germain (steel plate) 136; Rouen (steel plate) 144; Il Rosso (tipped in on passe partout) 150; Giotto (tipped in on passe partout) 152; Boccaccio (copper plate) 158; Il Gabinetto (bifolium steel plate) 174; Diana of Poictiers (steel plate) 190; Marguerite de France (tipped in on passe partout)198; The Tribune (bifolium steel plate) 214; Philip I I of Spain (rose tinted steel plate) 220; Benvenuto Cellini (steel plate) 232; Michaelangelo (steel plate) 270; Baudinelli (copper plate) 294; Andrea Verrocchio (tipped in on passe partout) 296; Giovanni Agnolo Montorsoli (tipped in on passe partout) 298; Lorenzo Ghiberti (tipped in on passe partout)312; Le roi Henri II (tipped in on passe partout) 344.