[Rarebooks] FS: 1st ed. of Ferraro's beautiful Italian horse book. Naples: 1602

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(THE HORSE) Ferraro, Pirro Antonio. CAVALLO FRENATO. Diviso in Quattro 
Libri... Sopra Briglie, Antiche, & Moderne... Et a Questi Quattro Libri suoi, 
Precede L’Opera di Gio. Battista Ferraro suo Padre, Divsa in Altri Quattro Libri... 
Dove si Tratta il Modo di Conservar le Razze, Disciplinar Cavalli, & il Modo 
di Curargli... Naples: Antonio Pace. 1602. Folio (14-1/8” x 10-3/4”). 2 parts 
in 1. (8),152,(2);(4),320,(2)pp. Each of the two parts further divided in 4 
parts, and each part with its own title page with woodcut device or 
illustration. Profusely illustrated with over 200 magnificent woodcuts, mostly full-page, 
showing horse-bits, bridles & harnesses, etc. Some of the illustrations are 
printed in red & black (including one of the circulation of the blood). Cont. 
vellum, hand lettered spine. Some light occasional text soiling. 2 leaves with 
neatly repaired tears. Overall, a very attractive copy on thick paper. As with 
all copies, leaf QQ4 has been excised (see below).     $6,500.00 (trade 
discount allowed)
First edition of this very beautiful early Italian horse book (later editions 
appeared in 1620 & 1653). In addition to great detail on the artistic design 
of Italian horse bits, there are two (of the eight) “books” which relate to 
veterinary medicine. All known copies lack leaf QQ4. Harvard, Yale, the 
Huntington Library, etc., all have copies lacking this leaf. The catalog AUTORI 
ITALIANI DEL 1600 (#132), states, “of the 5 copies examined all lack this leaf.” 
Some references to this lacking leaf have made it appear that copies were 
defective; it is, in fact, complete as published. Graesse II, 572; BL Italian 17th 
Century Books, p. 338; Huth, p. 14.

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