[ECONOMIA] - BUSTI, Bernardino de' (1450-1513) - Defensorium montis pietatis contra figmenta omnia emule falsitatis. [Milan: Ulrich Scinzenzeler, 1497].   Editio princeps very difficult to find on the market of this apology in defense of an extremely innovative social institution, the Monti di Pietà as credit institutions to contrast usury. Bernardino de Busti was a pupil of Michele Carcano (1427-1484), passionate defender and founder of Monti di Pietà; he also transformed the Milan rescue society into a Monte di Pietà.   4to (205 x 145mm). Text on two columns, two woodcut vignettes, printer's device at end (a few tiny stains, some light soiling, some loose leaves, small wormtracks to final leaf). Contemporary vellum, manuscript title on lower edges, annotation on front cover (rear cover and spine detached from the textblock, rubbing and some chipping). Provenance: antique manuscript annotation dated 1696 on leaf a1v and early note with imprint details at end.

Estimate € 1,800 - 2,500