Zoology - Herpetology Leoniceno, Niccolò De serpentibus opus singulare ac exactissimum. With printer's mark in woodcut. Bologna, Giovanni Antonio Benedetti the Younger, 1518. 54 pp. sign. A-M4, N6. Cl.-4°. 18th-century paperback over two bindings with autograph RTit. First edition of the first ever herpetological monograph. - Adler, 2, p. 11-12 - Adams, H.M. Catalogue of books printed on the continent of Europe, 1501-1600, in Cambridge libraries, vol. 1, L 501 - Ceresoli, A. Bibliografia delle opere italiane latine e greche su la caccia, la pesca e la cinologia, con aggiunte di mammologia, ornitologia, ittiologia ed erpetologia, 323. - Short-title catalogue of books printed in Italy and of Italian books printed in other countries from 1465 to 1600 now in the British Museum, p. 466. - Catalogue of printed books in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library, 3740. - The work deals with the poisonousness of various snakes, antivenoms, compares rabies with the effects of snake venom and also deals with other reptiles, such as crocodiles. - Introductory printed dedication on A2r to Lucrezia Borgia, the Duchess of Ferrara, whose dubious fame is due to the premature death of one or more of her spouses. - On the last 7 leaves "De tiro seu vipera", Leoniceno's epistle on the viper, first published in Venice in 1497. - With several neatly calligraphed marginalia by an old hand in Latin. - Provenance: Girolamo Negrini, Ferrara, and Leonardo de Trissino, with dated (1827 and 10 Sept. 1833, respectively) autographs. Owner's, gift and price notes on front pastedown and front endpaper recto. - The spine with minor tears at the binding and slightly stained, the front endpaper with water stain, some pages fingerstained, overall a well-preserved, wide-margined copy of this early herpetological rarity. Zoology. - Herpetology. - First edition of the first ever published herpetological monograph, with pictorial wood-cut printer's mark on lv. N6r. - Leoniceno's treatise deals with the venomousness of various snakes, antidotes, compares rabies with the effects of snake venom and also deals with other reptiles, such as crocodiles. - Introductory dedication printed on A2r to Lucrezia Borgia, the Duchess of Ferrara, whose dubious fame is due to the premature death of one or more of her spouses. - On the last 7 leaves 'De tiro', Leoniceno's epistle on the viper, first published in Venice between 1497/98. - With several neatly calligraphed marginalia by an old hand in Latin. - Provenance: Girolamo Negrini, Ferrara, and Leonardo de Trissino, with dated (1827 and 10 Sept. 1833, respectively) owner's remarks and price notes on front paste-down and front endpaper recto. - Spine with minor tears at raised bands and slightly stained, front endpaper with water stain, some pages finger-stained, overall a well-preserved, copy with wide margins of this early herpetological rarity. This lot is taxed. The hammer price is subject to a 24.95% surcharge and the final invoice amount is subject to 7% (books, art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, silkscreens, offset prints, photographs) in the European Union. This work is subject to the regular margin scheme. There is a 24.95% buyer's premium on the hammer price and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offsetprints and Photographs) on the final invoice amount in the European Union.