Hill’s Corpus of Renaissance Medals

Hill, George Francis. A CORPUS OF ITALIAN MEDALS OF THE RENAISSANCE BEFORE CELLINI. TEXT & PLATES. London: British Museum, 1930. Two volumes. Folio, original matching tan cloth, gilt. xvii, (1), 371, (1); vii, (1) pages; titles printed in red and black; 1333 extremely detailed descriptions; text figures, two occupying a full-page plate in the text; 201 superb plates of medals. Text volume rather worn, with backstrip cloth torn and tape residue to covers; occasional inserts are to be found, mostly clipped articles or printouts with material relating to particular artists; occasional handwritten annotations or corrections; very good or so. Plate volume with covers somewhat discolored, but very good or better. The Saltons’ working copy of the magnificent original edition of this classic and still most-important work, covering in great detail “the known varieties of medals produced by Italian artists from 1390 to about 1530.” A monumental achievement, the most important work of its kind, with superb illustrations and highly useful indexes. While the handwritten annotations found in this copy are not extensive, they provide a link to two of the most dedicated collectors of Renaissance medals of modern times. Clain-Stefanelli 14287*. Grierson 256. Modesti 1405: “Senza dubbio la più grande opera mai realizzata sulla medaglistica rinascimentale italiana... Sono presentate oltre 2.000 medaglie, con accuratissimo apparato storico, critico e bibliografico nonché topologico.”