Lodovico Moscardo, 1656

MOSCARDO, Lodovico (1611-1681). Note overo memorie del Museo di Lodovico Moscardo. Padua: Paolo Frambotto, 1656.

First edition of an important early illustrated museum catalogue, in contemporary English calf and from the library of antiquary Sir Ashton Lever. Moscardo acquired the famous natural history cabinet of Francesco Calzolari and began to add his own collections of antiquities, medals, and paintings. A visitor to the collection, in an introductory verse printed here, describes the vast panoply of items as "a world in themselves." Many wonders are not only described but depicted, including the first illustration of a sexual device. The collection may still be seen today at the Miniscalchi Foundation in Verona—and in these pages. This copy once belonged to Sir Ashton Lever, a natural history collector who opened a museum called the Holophusikon in Leicester Square which contained many artefacts from Cook's voyages (among other things). The collection was dispersed at auction in 1806, but can be encountered in Shaw’s 1791 catalogue, Museum Leveriani. Freilich catalogue 404; Nissen ZBI 2898; Sinkankas 4611.

Folio (308 x 211mm). Engraved additional title, many engravings in-text (occasional offsetting or toning). Contemporary English gilt-paneled calf, sprinkled edges (neatly rebacked preserving original spine panel and endpapers). Provenance: Sir Ashton Lever, 1729-1788 (engraved bookplate).