The Pecorone.
London: Lawrence and Bullen, 1897. Full morocco, 11 1/2 inches tall. A superb full crushed morocco binding with a smooth spine with fine gilt geometric designs and a series of gilt fillets framing the boards. From the Library of the Late Christopher Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey. Gilt doublures with beautiful watered silk end 'papers' and gilt top edge. Slight fading to the spine but still a fine bright copy. One of 110 copies, of which this is number 40 printed on Japanese vellum. 12 fine plates by E.R. Hughes. Il Pecorone (The Simpleton) was written as a collection of short stories in the 14th century in the pattern of Boccaccio. One tale is considered the likely basis for Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice'. A superb copy of the first English edition of this very scarce work.