Boiardo / Berni - L'Orlando Innamorato (1827) (Vol. 1 e 2)

Florence, Tipografia all’Insegna di Dante, 1827.

Two volumes, 16mo (small pocket format). Each title page is embellished with a woodcut portrait of Dante Alighieri in profile, the typographical device of the renowned Florentine press.

Binding:

Original publisher’s wrappers in orange paper. The spines bear printed titles within linear frames (“Berni – Orlando Innamorato – Vol. 1 / 2”). The bindings show clear signs of wear, with losses of paper on the spines and covers partially detached or affected by surface abrasions.

Historical notes:

The text presents the famous “rifacimento” by Francesco Berni, a 16th-century literary reworking intended to Tuscanize and smooth Boiardo’s poem in accordance with the linguistic tastes of the time. This 1827 edition belongs to the successful series issued by the Tipografia all’Insegna di Dante, well known for its editorial care and compact format, ideal for popular and student circulation in pre-Unification Italy.

Condition:

Study or restoration copies. Noted issues include:

Significant damage to the spines with loss of paper fragments.

Worn covers with rounded corners and widespread foxing.

Interiors that retain their original solidity despite the fragility of the wrappers.

Assessment and potential:

Despite the modest external condition, the integrity of the text and the survival of the original 1827 publisher’s wrappers make this set of interest to collectors of 19th-century popular editions, or to those seeking an authentic copy suitable for a light conservation intervention.