Books

Nuremberg, Anton Koberger, 1486. Silvio Piccolomini (1405-1464) was one of his time's most influential humanists, worked as a diplomat in Vienna and later became pope Pius II. His letters are a rich source of knowledge about the Renaissance in Europe. "Pius II, regarded as a man and not merely as an historical personage, is the most interesting of all the successors of St. Peter". These letters contain amongst others the best selling "Hystoria de Eurialo & Lucretia se amantibus". and "A Tale of Two Lovers", one of the earliest erotic novel - written before he became Pope! - as well as a description of Vienna. Without the blank folio a1. Worming on the interior margin of the last folio. Manuscript ex libris on folio b1 dated Nuremberg, 1515. The same hand has added notes in the margins, most notably along "Hystoria de Eurialo & Lucretia". The ties of the binding are missing, the boards are rubbed, the spine discreetly restored. A very fine copy, contemporary bound in stamped…