L'Arte di moltiplicare la seta, o sia trattato sopra i gelsi, l'educazione de'bachi, e la filatura delle sete. Opera tradotta dal Francese con alcune aggiunte

Description:

First edition. Engraved head- and tailpiece. With imprimatur and errata leaves at rear. Rare 18th-century work on silk production.

In the printer's note to the reader it states that this work is not a simple translation, but rather an extract and combination of some of the best books on the subject ('... lungi dall' essere una semplice traduzione, puo con piu ragione dirsi un' estratto, ed un aggregato alcuni de' migliori libri, che trattano di questa materia ...'). The title of this work is a direct translation of Jean-Baptiste Constans de Castellet's book of 1760 - L'art de multiplier la soie, ou Traité des Muriers blanc, l'éducation des vers à soie et le tirage des soies; a footnote to Parte Prima - Coltura de' Gelsi - states that this section is drawn in the main part from Instruction sommaire sur la manière de cultiver les Muriers, & d'Elever le Vers a soie (1755).

Condition

8vo, cont. vellum, morocco title piece to spine; worming and staining to inner margin of front endpapers, the staining carrying through faintly to inner margin of title; similar worming to inner margin of rear endpapers. Browning; some foxing. A very good copy.

Provenance: Bookplate 'Ex Libris Marchionis Salsae' - Francesco Maria Berio, Marchese di Salza (1765-1820). In 1791, he inherited the title of marchese, along with the elegant residence in the via Roma at Naples and the famous library and art collection which his father had collected. He added to both the library and art collection. Upon his death the greater part of the library was sold to William Ward, 3rd Viscount Dudley. Also with Ward's bookplate to rear endpaper.