Rare and Important Courtesy Book

La Civil Conversatione del Signor Stefano Guazzo Gentilhuomo di Casale di Monferrato; Divisa in quattro libri.

Vinegia: Apresso Enea de Alarise, 1574.

Price: $4,000.00


About the item

One of two editions printed in the same year, priority unknown. Printer’s device on title-page. [32], 593 [i.e., 560] pp. (numerous mispaginations; last page misnumbered “593”). *8*8A-Mm8. 1 vols. 8vo. Rare and Important Courtesy Book. Contemporary vellum with ms title on spine, covers and spine slightly soiled, small tear in lower joint and head a bit rubbed, minor worming mostly confined to endsheets front and rear; small repair to title leaf, text unafffected; occasional slight spotting to text, but mostly quite clean, very good, solid copy overall. OCLC: 54249802; Brunet II, col. 1781 (Brescia ed.); not in Adams.

Item #255732

Guazzo’s text, as translated by George Pettie (THE CIVILE CONVERSATION, 1581) had a considerable impact on Tudor and Jacobean England’s concepts of the conduct and etiquette proper to a gentleman; its influence can be seen throughout the literature and drama of the day.
Guazzo’s book first appeared in 1574. There were two editions printed in that year (priority seemingly unknown): one in 4to, printed in Brescia by Vincenzo Sabbio for T. Bozzola, which “is probably the first” (OCLC); and the Venetia edition, printed by Enea de Alaris. Both editions are uncommon, but the Venetian edition, is by far the rarer — OCLC locates only two copies (Yale and Huntington) of it in America.