Sotheby’s is set to auction off an incredibly rare first-edition copy of Niccolò Machiavelli’s controversial 16th-century political treatise, The Prince. Historians were previously aware of only ten first-edition copies of the book, all held by institutions. However, a private collector recently came forward with an 11th copy, which is now up for sale and could fetch as much as $375,000.
Printed in 1532, five years after Machiavelli’s death, this particular copy of The Prince also includes the author’s Florentine Histories, a chronicle of Florence history commissioned by Pope Leo X. Gabriel Heaton, Sotheby’s books and manuscripts specialist, expressed surprise at the discovery of this copy in private hands, calling it the first of its kind to come to auction in recent decades. The book features an early 17th-century Italian binding, making it a unique and valuable find.
Machiavelli, a civic official in the Florentine Republic, wrote The Prince in 1513 while in exile on his father’s property south of Florence. The treatise, considered the first modern work of political science, offers guidance to political rulers on how to maintain power. One of its most famous lines states that it is safer for a ruler to be feared than loved. Dedicated to Lorenzo di Piero de’ Medici, the book circulated as a manuscript during Machiavelli’s lifetime, with at least seven copies made before its official publication in 1532.
Despite its historical significance, The Prince has earned Machiavelli a reputation for political deceit and ruthlessness. The term “Machiavellian” is now synonymous with cunning and manipulation in the pursuit of power. This first-edition copy of the book is lightly annotated, with a reader marking a section in chapter 18 that emphasizes the need for politicians to manipulate appearances and reality to achieve their goals.
Sotheby’s is thrilled to offer this rare and important book to collectors and enthusiasts of political theory and history. The auction of this first-edition copy of Machiavelli’s The Prince presents a unique opportunity to own a piece of literary and political history.
