Small 4to (217 x 155 mm). Woodcut headpieces and initials. (Some intermittent spotting and staining.) Contemporary stiff wrappers, stab-sewn around vellum guards (separation to upper joint, a small portion of spine panel missing).  Provenance: Gust. C. Galletti, Florence (small stamp on dedication leaf).

FIRST EDITION OF CERESA'S RARE TREATISE, which covers the use of the rapier and the rapier and dagger, apparently developing the ideas presented by Salvator Fabris and Ridolfo Capoferro.  Little is known about Ceresa's life; he apparently published his work at the insistence of his patrons, and his work is dedicated to his patron and student Tommaso Palunci, a nobleman from Ancona. RARE: This is the only copy of Ceresa's work we trace at auction in the last 50 years. Pardoel 161; Thimm p.54.