£150
12mo, pp. [vi], 124. Original teal textured paper boards, boards bordered with a gilt roll, spine divided with gilt rules, edges gilt. A touch of spotting. A little rubbed, some wear to extremities and edges. Ownership inscription of H.M. Dashwood, Venice, to flyleaf dated 1846.
A scarce devotional work relating the story of a pious Christian martyr from the time of the Diocletian Persecution, reportedly translated from French. It was printed by the Mekhitharist congregation of Benedectine monks of the Armenian Catholic Church on San Lazzaro, Venice. The monastery, which moved there during the Seventh Ottoman-Venetian War (1714-18), established a printing press, mainly for the production of classical Armenian texts for export to Constantinople. However, this slim work in Italian seems geared to the local market, the pilgrims and tourists that throng their small island in the Venetian lagoon to this day.
Library Hub records just a single copy, at Eton College, and Worldcat adds none further. The Eton copy is in wrappers; this copy in boards was perhaps a more deluxe issue, otherwise unrecorded.
