Il Ponte's Rare Book Auction: From Dante to Dalì
Il Ponte Casa d'Aste in Milan opens 2022 with a dedicated auction of rare and artist books, following a record turnover of over €1.5 million in 2021. The sale features an incunabulum of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy (1477), containing the first publication of Boccaccio's Life of Dante, estimated at €40,000–60,000. Other highlights include the Italian translation of Vitruvius's De Architectura (Como, 1521, estimate €18,000–25,000) and two atlases by Blaeu and Janssonius (Amsterdam, 1640–1646), including the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum sive Novus Atlas (estimate €30,000–50,000) and the first maritime atlas printed in the Netherlands, Atlantis majoris quinta pars (estimate €12,000–18,000). Among artist books is a special edition of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet illustrated by Salvador Dalì (Rizzoli, 1975), one of 35 ad personam copies printed for Carlo Sironi on handmade paper, including an original gouache by Dalì. The auction takes place on January 25, in two sessions (morning and afternoon), via phone and online at Palazzo Crivelli.
Key facts
- Il Ponte Casa d'Aste in Milan holds a dedicated auction of rare and artist books.
- The auction follows a record turnover of over €1.5 million in 2021.
- An incunabulum of Dante's Divine Comedy (1477) is estimated at €40,000–60,000.
- The Vitruvius De Architectura translation (Como, 1521) is estimated at €18,000–25,000.
- Two atlases by Blaeu and Janssonius (Amsterdam, 1640–1646) are offered.
- The Theatrum Orbis Terrarum sive Novus Atlas is estimated at €30,000–50,000.
- The Atlantis majoris quinta pars is estimated at €12,000–18,000.
- A Dalì-illustrated Romeo and Juliet (1975) includes an original gouache and is estimated at €25,000–35,000.
- The auction occurs on January 25 in two sessions at Palazzo Crivelli.
Entities
Artists
- Dante Alighieri
- Salvador Dalì
- Vitruvius
- William Shakespeare
- Giovanni Boccaccio
- Carlo Sironi
Institutions
- Il Ponte Casa d'Aste
- Rizzoli
- Palazzo Crivelli
Locations
- Milan
- Italy
- Venice
- Como
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands