LETTERS OF AN ITALIAN IN GERMANY

Peranda, Giovanni Antonio: Lettere del signor Gio. Antonio Peranda Volume Primo [-Secondo]. In Vicenza, appresso Dominico Amadio 1615. Con licenza de Superiori.

Rare copy, in contemporary binding, of the first edition of Giovanni Antonio Peranda’s letters. Peranda (d. c. 1623?) studied in Rome and later became a secretary to a number of nobles including Count Friedrich von Fürstemberg (d. 1617). He is presumably a relative of Giovan Francesco Peranda (d. by 1612), who is credited with originating the genre of secretary’s letters.

Both volumes contain thematically arranged letters, with subject matters including Di Congratulatione, Di Offerte, Di Escusatione, Di Ringratiamenti, and Di Complimenti (i.e. congratulations, offers, apologies, thanks, and compliments). The first volume comprises letters Peranda wrote on behalf of others, while the second volume comprises those written in his own name. A number of letters were sent from Prague. 

This first edition of the text was printed in Vicenza by Dominico Amadio - and, interestingly, perhaps for bibliographical aid, someone felt inclined to write out the printer’s name on the Jesuit library label that partially covers the imprint in first volume. Quadrio (1756) reports that an expanded collection of Peranda’s letters was later printed in Brescia in 1623, but we have not been able to locate such an edition

Details

Printed. Two publications in one volume, 14.5 x 10.5 cms in binding, octavo, pp. [24] 348 [4]; [16] 301 [1]. Collation: a12 A-Y8 (Y7 and Y8 blank); a8 A-T8 (wanting blank T8). Decorative headpieces, tailpieces, and initials. Bound in vellum over boards. Vertical lettering in ink to spine, partially obscured by remnants of a paper spine label (LETTERE DI GIO. ANTO[NIO] PE[R]AN[DA]). Faded horizontal lettering in ink to spine (Gio. Anto Peranda). ‘3064’ stamped to front cover and partially traced over in ink (cf. provenance 1).

Provenance:

1. Shelfmark(?) 3064 stamped to binding (cf. above), front free endpaper (there corrected to 441), and title page.
2. ‘Resid. Venet. Soc. J. (Episc. Patav. don.)’ on printed label to title page, obscuring printer’s name Dominico Amadio (then supplied in ink to the label, perhaps when the label was added).
3. Stamp of the Collegio Universitario Antonianum Padua to title page and again (partially) on p. 19 of first publication (shelfmark: 18 Bibl F 85). This stamp is very common in trade. 

Condition (textblock): light to medium browning, occasional light stains. Condition (binding): some worming, mainly around hinges and joints (also affecting blank gutter of last leaf).

Bibliography:

SBN IT\ICCU\VIAE\003674. OCLC shows no copies outside mainland Europe. 
‘Fürstenberg, Friedrich von’, CERL Thesaurus, accessible via https://data.cerl.org/thesaurus/cnp00499748
Quadrio, Francesco Saverio, Dissertazioni critico-storiche intorno alla Rezia di qua dalle alpi, oggi detta Valtellina..., volume III  (Milan, Nella Stamperia della Societa’ Palatina, 1756), pp. 435-437.
Testa, Simone, ‘Peranda, Giovan Francesco’, Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, volume 82 (2015), accessible via www.treccani.it