La secchia rapita. Le seau enlevé. Poème héroicomique. Nouvellement traduit d'italien en françois.

2 vol., 12mo: front.-[54]-339-[2], 339-[1] pp. (occ. sl. marg. staining).

Light brown calf by Koehler, covers ruled with a triple gilt fillet, gilt orn. spines with raised bands, gilt fillet on edges, gilt inside dentelle, gilt edges (sl. rubbed).

First French edition by Pierre Perrault (with Italian text facing) of the mock-heroic poem "La secchia rapita" (1st ed.: Paris 1622) by the poet Tassoni (1565-1635). It narrates the story of a complicated war between Bologna and Modena in 14th-c. because of the theft of a bucket which was eventually resolved by the Pope. The book contains many fictious events, even the existence of that bucket is doubtful. The contemporary historians don't mention it but in the basement of the Torre della Ghirlandina (bell tower of the Cathedral of Modena) is preserved a bucket, allegedly that bucket, from the time of the battle until now. Illustrated with a frontispiece.
Ref. Goldsmith 113. - STC Italian 17th-c., vol. 2 p. 896. - Gamba 2097 (other ed.). - Not in Cioranescu.
Prov. [Georges Petit].