LAVALLÉE, Joseph (1747-1816) and Louis François CASSAS - Voyage pittoresque et historique de l'Istrie et de la Dalmatie. Paris: Pierre Didot l'Ainé, An X - 1802.   First edition of this 'beautiful example of book production' (Blackmer). A work dedicated to the antiquities of Dalmatia and Istria illustrated by splendid plates drawn by Cassas and engraved by numerous artists of the time including Pillement, Réville, Perrier, Filbot, Duparc, Miller, Niquet le jeune, Niquet l 'ainé and Hubert.   Folio (515 x 335mm). Half-title, large engraved vignette on title, letterpress title, fine engraved frontispiece, complete with the list of subscribers and the errata at end, elegant vignettes, 67 plates numbered from 1 to 60 which include a large double-page map with the "Carte de l'Istrie et de la Dalmatie", an unnumbered plate entitled "vue de la ville et du port de Trieste" and plates 9, 18, 27, 37 and 54 bis; some plates contain more than one illustration and are sometimes counted as 2; in this description they have been counted as a single plate and there is plate numbered as 7; the preliminary leaves in var. A of SBN π² 1-2² while the finals in var. B therefore skipping from gathering 47 to 49 (light browning, plate 11 with small tear, few other sporadic tears). Contemporary russia decorated in gilt on rear cover and spine, marbled endpapers, dentelles and edges gilt (lacking front cover, some wear and chips).

Estimate € 700 - 1,000

Sold € 2,000