Sallust, 1772

The Stupendous Sallust
Sallust, 1772
SALLUST (86-35 BCE). La conjuración de Catilina y la guerra de Jugurta. Translated by Infante Gabriel of Spain. Madrid: Joachin Ibarra, 1772.

Ibarra’s “stupendous Sallust”—one of the finest works of Spanish typography (Bodoni). Of this work by the virtuoso typographer Ibarra, Dibdin wrote that “the annals of the press can boast no more perfect volume than this.” Ibarra printed his bilingual edition of Sallust’s thrilling accounts of the Catilinarian conspiracy and the war against Jugurtha in only 120 copies, given as gifts to the friends of the work’s royal translator: the Infante of Spain. A gorgeous copy of two portentous works about the degeneracy of the Roman aristocracy, Benjamin Franklin is said by Baynes to have praised this edition especially. Palau 288.134; Salvà 2791; Cohen-de Ricci 938; see Dibdin, An introduction to the knowledge of rare and valuable editions of the Greek and Latin classics, p. 387.

Folio (351 x 253mm). Half title. Engraved title by E. Monfort; engraved map of North Africa; medallion portrait and 8 plates; headpieces, culs-de-lampe and vignettes. Contemporary red morocco gilt, covers with narrow roll-tool border (some scuffing, small repaired tears, light discoloration to leather; Zambrano library label on rear pastedown). Provenance: Reuben J. Dussaut (bookplate) – Sir Brian Mackenna (1905-1989, his sale, Christie’s, 23 November 1998, lot 244).