Descrizione

Oblong folio (285 x 410mm.), 10 volumes bound in 5, well bound in early 19th-century half russia gilt calf, with corners, spines with raised bands, completely tooled in compartments, sprinkled edges, generally a very clean copy in excellent condition (spines and hinges very carefully repaired)

Half-title and engraved dedication and allegorical frontispiece in volume 1, 228 engraved plates, as 20+24+20+21+14 (but nothing missing in the numbering as Vasi numbered also the large engravings in the text, which is matching)+20+20+20+20+20+29, with several engraved illustrations in text, 4 pp. of “indice generale” at end of vol.10 as well as 29 additional plates. Title of vol. I a bit creased, plate 28 in vol. II loosely inserted (supplied from another copy).

An extra illustrated copy of this very famous work in the roman artistic literature. With 228 plates this copy contains more plates than any other recorded on ABPC since 1975. As well as the 200 numbered plates found in the first and second editions of the work, this copy contains many of the additional plates produced for the reprint of 1786 by Vasi’s son, Mariano, and a few more as well. The work was kept in print for many years and although this copy seems to conform to being a second edition of volume 1, first edition of volumes 2-10, with additional plates from the 1786 reprint, dating is slightly uncertain. BAL RIBA 3389-3399.