Exporting books from Milan to Venice in the 15th century: evidence from the Zornale of Francesco de Madiis

The Zornale of the Venetian bookseller, Francesco de Madiis, held by the Marciana Library in Venice records the day-to-day sales of a shop at Rialto from May 1484 to January 1488, in which period some 25,000 books are sold, with the indication of the price. Although the vast majority are from Venice, some are from Milan, as can be told from the fact that they are labelled as such in the Zornale itself, or because it was the only edition available at the time, or because, other bibliographical factors considered, it is the most likely probability. The article brings together and discusses these entries, relating them to the known editions, and analysing the cost-per-sheet, in order to provide a picture of the booktrade only a decade and a half after the introduction of printing to Venice.