P. Virg. Maronis, Aenidos, Georgicon, Bucolicorum - PROVENANCE! Virgil (Publius Virgilius Maronis)

P. Virg Maronis - Bucolicorum, Georgicon, Aeneidos (The Three Masterpieces of Virgil - Bucolics, Georgics and The Aeneid) ***RARE*** No other copy is listed for sale; nor has a copy come to auction in recent times. Even in the holdings of the world's largest libraries, it is rare to find all three major works of this edition bound together and textually complete. With excellent provenance (read below). Published in 1541 by Michel Fezandat in Paris. The three major works of Virgil in one volume and with separate title pages with printer device vignette. Bound in beautiful 17th century fine full calf with Cambridge paneling: each of three panels on each cover bordered with triple gilt fillets; a gilt tooled fleuron in each corner; six gilt decorated or lettered compartments separated by five raised spine bands; all edges speckled. 8.5" x 6 3/8", foliated: Bucolicorum [16]; Georgicon [40]; Aeneidos [276] leaves, as called for. RECENT PROVENANCE: From the Virgil Collection of Craig Kallendorf (1954 - 2023), who owned the largest private collection of antiquarian Virgil works (1,150) editions, not including Incunable books) in the world. Only a handful of prominent institutions like the British Library had larger collections. Eighth-nine of the books in his collection were the only known surviving copies, 71 only had one other known copy. He worked closely with Princeton University in helping to assemble, supplement and catalog its Junius Spencer Morgan Virgil collection. Craig Kallendorf was Professor of English and Classics at Texas A&M University. He was the author or editor of 27 books and more than 170 articles, book chapters, and reference work entries. HISTORIC PROVENANCE Richard Charles Jackson (1851-1923, England). Wealthy collector, scholar and eccentric who was a friend of Walter Pater (and supposed to be the man the eponymous "Marius the Epicurean" classic is based) and an authority on Dante and Greek art. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, the President of the Imperial Dante Society of Great Britain and the First Vice President of the London Dante Society. He bequeathed two portraits of Dante to the British Museum. He was a fervent collector of high-end collectibles, including an extensive collection of fine art and over 8,000 rare books. CONDITION REPORT: Square spine, firm hinges and joints, tight pages, professionally reinforced hinges. Top of text block closely trimmed to text. Text complete - though missing title page for the Bucolics. The Aeneid title page was relocated to the front of the book, immediately preceding the Bucolics, during the rebind. A few pages misnumbered by the printer. Endpapers and blanks refreshed during 17th century rebind. Spine professionally restored and recased with 17th century spine relaid. The book is the survivor of a fire - blackened and charred spine with some missing leather, board top edge and fore-edge blackened with some charring. Top text block edge blackened. Corners bumped. Some small water dampening to endpapers and in a few other spots. Foxing and a few small spots of writing on endpapers. Some light to sporadic foxing throughout text, a bit heavier on first few and last few pages. A few areas of contemporary marginalia, mostly faded to illegibility over the centuries. No signs of worming. One slightly bent page corner; one slightly trimmed. Signs of handling - some ink splats, a few smudges and page creases. Lightly toned pages. Front paste down with Richard C. Jackson's large descriptive bookplate and FFEP affixed with the ex libris sticker "from the Virgil collection of Craig W. Kallendorf." Overall, a beautifully bound, rare, and textually complete early 1500s edition of the three masterworks of Virgil.