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"Italy has been an Eminently Distinguished Part of the Globe from a Remote Period" (Preface)
First Edition, Earliest Issue with 1804/1805 Watermarks
BUONAIUTI, M, and P. Van Lerberghi (artist) and James Godby (engraver). Italian Scenery; Representing the Manners, Customs, and Amusements of the Different States of Italy; Containing Thirty-Two Coloured Engravings by Jame Godby, From Original Drawings by P. Van Lerberghi. The Narrative by M. Buonaiuti. London: Printed for Published and Sold by Edward Orme...Sold also by Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme, 1806.
First edition (earliest issue?), with plates watermarked 1804 and 1805.
Folio. (13 15/16 x 10 1/4 inches; 355 x 260 mm.). [4], 74, [1, index], [1,blank] pp. with text in English and French.
Thirty-two hand-colored line and stipple engravings. With an engraved leaf of sheet music, The Music to a Neapolitan Dance called Tarantella accompanying the engraving, The Dance of the Tarentella.
Contemporary half dark-brown straight-grain morocco over marbled boards. With clean plates near spotless.
A spectacular copy.
The first two plates are dated 1805 suggesting that work began early on this project. Most copies have later watermarks (compared to the text leaves) and it may be that the publisher printed more text than plates, only later printing and coloring the engravings as necessary to fulfill orders. Reprinted in 1823 by Thomas McLean.
