[Rarebooks] FS: Early edition of Tricasso's work on chriomancy. Wonderful woodcuts. Venice: 1538

[Kenneth Karmiole]

Tricasso, Patricio (or, Tricasse des Ceresars, Patrice). EPITOMA CHYROMANTICO. Nel Quale Se Contiene Tutte l’Opere per Esso Tricasso in Questa Scientia Composte, con Assai Figure, & Dichiarationi Agiunte. Facilissimo  As Imparare, & in Brevissimo Tempo. (Venice: Per Agostino de Bindoni. 1538). Sm. 8vo. 344pp. Illustrated with a large woodcut vignette on title page, verso of title and colophon with devices, and 78 woodcuts of hands keyed to the text. Nicely rebound in faux period full calf, gilt tooled spine in 3 compartments. Small chip and tear into blank upper margin of B1, and small printing flaw at bottom corner of A2 verso.    $3,250.00 (trade discount allowed)
An early Italian language edition of one of the most popular works on chiromancy of the 16th century. Tricasso (1491-c.1550) was a disciple of Barthelemy Cocles. At variance with Cocles on a number of points, he set out in this work to analyze the significance of 78 configurations of hands, as well as to outline the supposed astrological implications. His work is frequently cited by many later writers on the subject. As with other copies cited in OCLC, the date at the conclusion of the author’s preface is misprinted “1635” (it should be “1535,” the date of the first Italian edition of this title). Brunet V:945; STC of Italian Books, p. 680. Caillet 10830.

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