![Christie’s described the copy of Virgil’s Opera as “the most important early printed book to be offered [at auction] this century”. Christie’s described the copy of Virgil’s Opera as “the most important early printed book to be offered [at auction] this century”](https://www.irishtimes.com/resizer/v2/HIY2763QQKUU6NMKPEZHU4G3O4.jpg?auth=8dfeaf2e410b246471b47e76170bdcfe712cd09e1262180c574a7f62320a9bea&smart=true&width=1024&height=576)
On Wednesday in London, Christie’s will auction a newlydiscovered copy of the collected works of the ancient Roman poet Virgil, which was printed in Italy in the 15th century.
The auctioneers described the copy of Virgil's Opera as "the most important early printed book to be offered [at auction] this century".
Christie’s said the copy was “printed in 1470, within a year of the beginning of printing in Venice, on costly vellum for a wealthy patron and that “this book combines rarity with great aesthetic beauty but also represents a monumental moment in the history of printing”.
The estimate is £500,000- £800,000.
