Sold for $6,033

Verona: Petrus Maufer de Maliferis, December 25, 1480. Folio. 213 (of 214) leaves (*2, a9, b8, c6, d-k8, kk8, l-x8, y6, A-C8, D6); without blank leaf a1. Roman type, 36 lines. Some initials and book numbers in red and blue ink, largely at front, many spaces at rear left blank. Full near-contemporary brown calf, elaborately deocrated in blind, remnants of brass clasps, straps perished, rebacked to style, scratches on front boards, gouge in top of rear board; red stained speckled edges; scattered dampstaining in fore-edge of text leaves; scattered soiling to text; stain at center of f-gii; scattered early marginalia; inscription at bottom of first text leaf "Ex libry Ardemagni". ISTC ij00484000; GW M15185; Bod-inc J-221; BSB-Ink I-621; Goff J-484; Pr 6918; HC 5492

The first printing of Roman-Jewish historian Flavius Josephus in Italy. The translation is generally ascribed to Rufinus Aquileiensis, a fourth-century Christian scholar, although the preface by Ludovicus Cendrata states that Josephus himself translated his Greek text into Latin. The text is dedicated by Cendrata to Antonio Donato, a Venetian patrician, ambassador, and in 1480, governor of Verona.

This is one of only two works printed by French printer Petrus Maufer while in Verona, as he relocated to Venice the following year.