Paris, (Imprimerie de Didot l’aîné), an X – 1802
Large folio, 19th century quarter blond calf over boards, spine with 6 raised bands and red morocco lettering piece, sprinkled edges. Half-title, printed title, VIII-190 pp., 1 unnumbered errata leaf.
Engraved frontispiece by Pillement & Réville, engraved title by Filbot, 3 engraved headpieces, 1 double-page map and 66 remarkable views, maps and plans drawn on the spot by Cassas and engraved by the best artists of the period under Née’s supervision. Several plates are folded or on double-page. The plates are numbered 1-60, plus one double-page map unnumbered and 6 plates bis (9(bis), 18bis, 27bis, 37(bis), 54bis et 55B). Complete.
First Edition.
“Cassas visited Istria and Dalmatia in 1782 when he was commissioned by a group of amateurs, among whom was Visconti, to make drawings of the antiquities in that region. The text by Lavallee is in two parts; part I is a general history of the area, part II is edited from Cassas’s journal of the voyage. The list of subscribers includes Talleyrand, baron de Stael, Piranesi, Quatremere de Quincy, Laborde, Millin and the Bonaparte. A beautiful example of book production” (Blackmer).
Beautiful wide-margined copy.
Ref. Blackmer, 296 / Brunet, III, 884 / Cohen-Ricci, 205 / Berlin Katalog, 1910 / Not in Chadenat
