Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST

Rare Books, Autographs & Maps

 
  Lot 89
 

89

A rare early veterinarian manual for horses

RUSIO, LORENZO

Opera de l'arte del malscalcio di Lorenzo Rusio. Nellaquale si tratta delle razze, governo, e segni di tutte le qualita de Cavalli... Venice: Michel Tramezino, 1548. 20th-century three-quarters vellum, paste paper sides. 5 3/4 x 4 inches (14.5 x 10 cm); 102, 5 ff. collating A-N8 O4 (-O4, blank); printer's mark on verso of final leaf. Minor worming to extreme lower margin, but internally quite a fresh copy else.

"Lorenzo Rusio was a 14th century friar, veterinarian, and farrier. Practicing chiefly in Rome he wrote a treatise on the treatment of horses, based upon ancient Greek and Byzantine texts commonly known as the Hippiatrica. Chief amongst these was a work by the 4th-century military veterinarian Apsyrtus, whose work established many of the infectious diseases suffered by horses. Rufio’s work was first printed in c.1489 in Speyer (Germany) under the title Liber Marescalciae equorum (The Book of the stabling of horses)."

Sold for $960
Estimated at $400 - $600

Includes Buyer's Premium


 

RUSIO, LORENZO

Opera de l'arte del malscalcio di Lorenzo Rusio. Nellaquale si tratta delle razze, governo, e segni di tutte le qualita de Cavalli... Venice: Michel Tramezino, 1548. 20th-century three-quarters vellum, paste paper sides. 5 3/4 x 4 inches (14.5 x 10 cm); 102, 5 ff. collating A-N8 O4 (-O4, blank); printer's mark on verso of final leaf. Minor worming to extreme lower margin, but internally quite a fresh copy else.

"Lorenzo Rusio was a 14th century friar, veterinarian, and farrier. Practicing chiefly in Rome he wrote a treatise on the treatment of horses, based upon ancient Greek and Byzantine texts commonly known as the Hippiatrica. Chief amongst these was a work by the 4th-century military veterinarian Apsyrtus, whose work established many of the infectious diseases suffered by horses. Rufio’s work was first printed in c.1489 in Speyer (Germany) under the title Liber Marescalciae equorum (The Book of the stabling of horses)."

Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Apr 16, 2026

  • Successful Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 Surpasses Expectations

  • Thomas Jefferson Letter Commenting on Toussaint Louverture Achieves $32,000

  • Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions

  • We Invite You to Contact Us for Complimentary Auction Estimates of Your Collection


NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 saw international competition drive strong results throughout the sale and a total that surpassed expectations.

Thomas Jefferson Letter on Toussaint Louverture
Highlighting the sale was a fascinating 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson as president to Maryland Governor John Francis Mercer that achieved a strong $32,000. The remarkable letter captures a rare, candid moment in which Jefferson assesses, with striking clarity, the arrest of Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, by French General Charles LeClerc, Napoleon’s brother-in-law. Jefferson perceptively warned that LeClerc’s actions would erode trust and likely spark further racial conflict—an insight that proved remarkably accurate. Beyond its sharp political foresight, the letter reflects the broader anxiety the Haitian Revolution provoked in the United States, which contributed to decades of diplomatic isolation of Haiti.

We Invite You to Auction!

Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.

REQUEST AN ESTIMATE

View all lots in this sale

Sell one like this

Your Details

Item Details

Current Location of Item(s)

Images (Please upload at least 1 image. You can upload 15 maximum with a limit of 20MB. This form does not accept movie or HEIC files) *

Drag and drop .jpg images here to upload, or click here to select images.


Previous Doyle Contact

Marketing Preferences