GAETANI, Pietro Antonio - Lot 72

GAETANI, Pietro Antonio Museum Mazzuchellianum, seu numismata virorum doctrina præstantium Venice, Antonio Zatta, 1761-1763 SANTA MARIA NOVELLA BASILICA, FLORENCE ORIGINAL EDITION 2 folio volumes (363 x 255 mm). Title in red and black, text in Latin and Italian, on two columns. Engraved Vignettes and Culs-de-lampe. COLLATION: (I): XXIII pp. and verso n. o., 455 pp. and verso n. o.; (II): xxvi pp., 430 pp. ILLUSTRATION: frontispiece in first volume, 208 hors-texte plates of medals. ANNOTATION: a few contemporary handwritten notes in brown ink. CONTEMPORARY BINDINGS. Ivory vellum, long spines with gilt titling, red marbled edges. PROVENANCE: Santa Maria Novella, Florence (stamp and handwritten bookplate) -- purchased from the Princes Corsini, Florence, by Alain Moatti. Binding corners slightly dented, small worm gallery in the first two leaves of the second volume. Giammaria Mazzuchelli (1707-1765), a native of Brescia, formed the most important collection of medals of his time, struck in the effigy of illustrious and learned men. A museum dedicated to him, the Casa Museo Giammaria Mazzuchelli, is housed in his former villa between Brescia and Lake Garda. A copy belonged to the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, partly designed by Leon Battista Alberti and housing Masaccio's famous Trinity fresco.