William Morris' Copy

(Venice: Giorgio Rusconi, May 2, 1509). Folio. From the library of William Morris, and with his Kelmscott House book-plate on front paste-down. ff. (viii), CLXIX. Title-page printed in black and in red. Illustrated with 61 woodcuts, numerous woodcut initials, and publisher's device on colophon. Full brown sheep, brown morocco spine label, stamped in gilt, boards, joints, and extremities rubbed; edges stained green; bookseller's ticket on front paste-down (William Brown, London); armorial book-plate of Richard Colley Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley on front paste-down, gilt morocco book-plate of French bookseller and bibliographer Edouard Rahir below same, additional institutional book-plate below same; pictorial oval book-plate of Mary S. Collins on front free endpaper, inscription on same: "From the library of the Marquis Wellesley"; light spotting to text. CNCE 29989; BMSTC 481

Listed as item No. 402 in the manuscript catalogue of Morris's library, "Catalogue of the Library of William Morris at Kelmscott House", held at Bridwell Library.

A handsome copy with fine provenance of Venetian humanist Raphael Regius's (ca. 1440-1520) influential and extensive commentary on Ovid's Metamorphosis. First published in Venice around 1493, Regius's commentary became the most frequently printed edition of Ovid's work during the 16th century.