ITALIA
Italy [Milan?]: circa 1885. Hardcover. An album with 50 hinged thick pages, no title page, produced in the manner of Italian hand-painted vellum bindings with Renaissance motifs, for the English tourist trade. This example features 100 mounted albumen photographs of Italian art and architecture. Oblong quarto. Full ivory vellum binding, with a maroon morocco border onlay, gilt-stamped floral ornamental bands, onlay gilt over-stamped floral ornamental band, and hand-painted illuminated titling ("Italia") on the front panel, gilt-stamped rules and ornamental-patterned compartments on the spine, and a repetition of the front on the rear panel, except without titling. All edges gilt, with gilt-stamped floral dentelles and tan ribbed paper with gold-printed overall foliate pattern matching the binding. A lavish production. Provenance: from the Publishers' Bookbindings collection of Ellen K. Morris and Edward S. Levin. Item #80407
Price: $600.00