Descrizione

2 volumes. First Edition of the century, First Issue, the second edition overall. A RARE EXAMPLE WITH THE PLATES BOTH IN COLOURED AND UNCOLOURED STATE, THUS WITH DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF PLATES NORMALLY ENCOUNTERED. With 84 hand-coloured plates and 84 plates uncoloured, all separately printed on India paper and tipped onto full-page leaves, each facing the other, the plates with protective leaf separating the two, each image with two variations, mezzotint portraits of Holbein and his wife, a total of 168 illustrations on full-page plates, four plates dated from the first printing in 1792, the other 164 dated 1812 as with the publishing date. The plates are printed on a variety of papers, slightly different from one another--grey, buff, white, lavender and pink. Folio, 34.5 x 2, beautifully bound in full red morocco gilt extra, the spines with gilt tooled raised bands separating the compartments which are elaborately gilt decorated within triple gilt filleted frames, gilt stippling to the borders of the frames, lettered in gilt in one compartment, the covers beautifully gilt decorated in all-over designs, the borders with gilt stippled lines enclosing three gilt filleted borders surrounding an elaborate gilt inner border of floral tooling, bordered again by a stippled and multi-filleted gilt frame, the whole surrounding elaborate and large gilt tooled decorations at the inner corners and along the rules, the edges gilt ruled, the turnovers gilt rolled, marbled endleaves, all edges gilt, very elaborate and beautifully preserved binding work. unpaginated. Fine copies, beautifully preserved, very light wear or age evidence to the bindings which remain strong, the pages and plates all in good order, some very occasional light foxing to the papers as is typical, the colours remain vibrant and as printed, the giltwork on the bindings is in very pleasing condition, a very handsome set indeed.