QUINTILIANUS, Marcus Fabius (c.35–c.100). Institutiones oratoriae. Edited by Omnibonus Leonicenus. [Venice: Printer of the 1480 Valla (H 15809) (Johannes Rubeus Vercellensis?), c.1480].

Fifth edition of Quintilian’s comprehensive treatise on classical rhetoric. Aiming to restore the art of rhetoric to the high standards of Cicero, Quintilian outlines the training of an orator which he insists is necessary for instilling good character and responsible citizenship. Although its influence declined in the Middle Ages, Institutiones oratoriae regained its reputation in the Renaissance, both as a general study of education and for its incidental sayings. Proctor catalogued this edition under J. Rubeus, Treviso, but the Greek type is identified in BMC as that used at Venice in the 1480 Valla. HCR 13644; CIBN Q-18; Bod-inc Q-015; BMC VII 1137, XII 21; BSB-Ink Q-14; GW M36815; Goff Q-28; ISTC iq00028000.

Chancery folio (257 × 183mm). 201 leaves (of 202, without final blank). Greek and Latin types (repairs to top edge of final quires affecting text, small repaired wormhole in margin of most quires, occasional small stains, few leaves lightly soiled). 19th-century green sheepskin, tooled in gold, armorial supralibros of Morante in gold on both covers, edges gilt, marbled endpapers (lower board detached, upper joint cracked and starting, lightly scratched and rubbed). Provenance: early Latin annotations throughout – Mindelheim, Jesuits (inscriptions dated 1618 and 1621) – Joachim Gomez de la Cortina, Marqués Morante (1808–1868; supralibros, label; his sale, Drouot, Paris, 22 January 1872, lot 3978) – Howard Lehman Goodhart (1884–1952; label; gifted to his daughter:) – Phyllis Goodhart Gordan (1913–1994; leather label); by descent.