La divina commedia.

64mo, 5,5 x 3,5 cm: [6]-499-[1] pp.

Contemp. red shagreen, gilt dentelle and double fillet on covers, gilt orn. spine with 4 raised bands, gilt inside dentelle, gilt orn. sides, red polished edges. Nice copy.

First issue of this "very famous edition of one of the greatest classics of all times, printed in "fly's eye" type, hardly legible with the naked eye" (Spielmann). Edition limited to 1000 copies, illustrated with a frontisp.-portrait of Dante. According to Bondy, "the work is said to have seriously injured the eyesight of both the compositor and the corrector. It took one month to print 30 pages and new type were necessary for every new form".
Ref. Welsh 2169. - Bondy p. 94. - Spielmann 114. - Bn-Opale plus. - COPAC.