[Hakluyt society] Barbaro and Contarini, “Travels to Tana and Persia. A Narrative of Italian Travels in Persia in the 15 th and 16 th century”, London, Hakluyt society, 1873. First edition, in 8o, 22x14cm, part one: pp.xii,173, part two: pp.229. Ex libris of the historical society of Wisconsin. Complete, library blue cloth binding of the time, 8 sheets in the beginning detached the next 7 teared and partly detached, otherwise fine. This is the first published edition of all Italian narratives in Black sea and Persia in the 15th -16th century, published by the Hakluyt Society in 1873. Includes the travels of Josaphat Barbaro in 1436 and in 1471 firstly towards Tana in the sea of Azov, including a description of Genovese Crimea, of Moscow and Georgia, before reaching Persia. The second travel of part 1 (pages 104- 173), is the travel of Antonio Contarini, Venetian Ambassador, in 1473 towards Uzun Hasan, (leader of Persia) in an effort to establish an alliance against the rising Ottoman power. Contarini travelled through the Black Sea, escaping the conquered by the Turks Trebizonde, reaching the Black sea coast at Lazia (still independent) and crossing there the Pontian Alps towards Tabriz, the capital of Huzun Hasan. The second part contains the travel of ambassador Caterino Zeno in Persia in 1471 (pages 1-65), the travel of Giovani Angiolello in 1473 (pages 66-138) and finally the travel of an anonymous merchant in Persia in 1511. A very important collection of early travels.