GAZIUS, Antonius (1449-1528). Corona florida medicinæ: sive De conservatione sanitatis, Venice, "per Johannem de forlivio & Gregorium fratres", 1491, folio, 125 leaves, painted initials, old calf. Provenance: John Yudkin (bookplate). FIRST EDITION. RARE.

GAZIUS, Antonius (1449-1528).  Corona florida medicinæ: sive De conservatione sanitatis. [Title at [a1]:]  Florida corona medicinae omnibus sanitatem affectatibus utilis & necessaria ... Capitulum primum in quo auctor inuocat altissimi & sanctorum eius adiutorium. [Colophon:] Venice: "per Johannem de forlivio & Gregorium fratres", 20 June 1491. Folio (312 x 210mm). 125 leaves, the first leaf a "half title" with wording "De conservatione sanitatis", full title at [a1] printed in red, roman type, the text printed in double column throughout except for the errata leaf, 3 and 4-line initials painted in alternating red and blue around printed guide letters, pilcrows painted in alternating red and blue, woodcut printer's device beside the colophon, with the rare extensive errata leaf at the end printed in 4 columns, [?]final blank leaf possibly pasted onto the rear inner cover (lacks all before the "half title" [Ai] at the front [i.e, unsigned blanks or endpapers], the "half title" partially detached, aii torn and repaired at the gutter and the text but without loss, some minor worming to the margins, a few small holes to the last 4 leaves, only affecting letters in the errata, closed tear without loss to the head of the errata leaf, a few painted initials cut through or leaching through to the opposite page, light pink staining mainly to the margins of the first few leaves, a few leaves lightly stained or browned in patches). Old panelled calf elaborately decorated in blind over wooden boards (rebacked with old repairs at the head and foot of the spine, rubbed, lacks all but one clasps, with 4 engraved metal fitments still present on the lower cover, some worming to rear pastedown). Provenance: From the Collection of Professor John Yudkin (modern bookplate; please see the biographical note at the end of lot 308); old annotation to the margins of the text and more extensively to the rear pastedown; some inconspicuous modern pencil annotation to "half title" and rear pastedown. FIRST AND ONLY INCUNABLE EDITION of this work on, inter alia, preventative medicine, hygiene, nutrition, sleep and the health benefits of wine. "Important traite de diététique et d'hygiène d'un célèbre médecin de Padoue qui connaissant et aimait le vin. Les chapitres 42 à 63 sont consacrés au chois des aliments et des boissons. L'auteur consacré une important partie de son ouvrage au vin, à l'art de boire, et à une étude approfondie de la soif humaine" (Simon). ISTC ig00111000; BMC V, 341; CIBN G58; Goff Incunabula in American Libraries G111; GW 10563; Hain Repertorium bibliographicum 7501; IGI 4182; Klebs 439.1; Oates 1806; Pell 5003; Polain Catalogue des Livres Imprimé au 15e Siècle 1556; Simon Bibliotheca Bacchica 283; Thorndike History of Magic and Experimental Science V, 170; Vicaire Bibliographie Gastronomique 396; Wellcome I, 2708 (their copy incomplete). RARE.