Gnecchi, F. I medaglie romani. Volume primo. Oro ed argento. Volume secondo. Bronzo. Parte prima: Gran modulo. Volume terzo. Bronzo. Parte seconda: Moduli minori. Parte terza: Medaglioni del senato. Milano; Ulrico Hoepli, 1912. Complete in three volumes. Large 4to., pp. fine portrait of the author as the frontispiece to the first volume, the title pages printed in red and black throughout, lxviii, 83, (1), (4); (16), 158, (1), (5); (16), 234, (6); 162 superbly printed plates. All three volumes sumptuously bound in full contemporary vellum with bevelled edges, the boards elaborately decorated in gilt. Raised bands to the spines with claret and chestnut morocco title labels, lettered and decorated in gilt, decorative endpapers throughout featuring a montage of Roman medallions, all edges gilt. Presented by the author to Vittorio Emanuele III, with a beautiful manuscript inscription written in purple ink in the first volume. The spines and boards lightly rubbed, the hinges a little weak but internally clean throughout. A magnificent example of this important and monumental work, the standard reference for Roman medallions. Rarely offered, this set being one of a very small number of sumptuously produced presentation copies is excessively rare and especially desirable with such an impeccable provenance, being dedicated to and presumably also from, the library of the King of Italy. An exceptional copy, unique thus. (3)
Clain-Stefanelli 4963*. Grierson p. 84, “Corpus de toutes les pieces connues à l’époque.”