Watercolours rare books

Second edition; large folio (46.8 x 32.7 cm); manuscript title page, 264 watercolours numbered in pencil (of which 2 folding) by Ferdinand and Franz Bauer, very occasional light marks, light crease to corner of plate 85, slight foxing at head of plate 101, short closed tear to fold of both folding plates (not affecting images), contemporary diced russia by C. Kalthoeber (binder's orange ticket to front free endpaper), richly gilt, gilt lettering to spine, gilt and marbled edges, marbled endpapers, neatly rebacked with original spine laid down, slight wear to upper board and extremities, repairs to corners; an excellent copy; [2], 136, [4, list of plates].

Folio (55 x 37.c cm), featuring tradesmen (23), flowers (17), bird and flower (24) subjects, on thin paper (sheet size: 41 x 31.5 cm approx.) laid down on thick grey paper, tissue guards, green morocco gilt extra by George Mullen of Dublin with his ticket, covers and spine richly gilt.

First edition thus, first impression, one of 352 copies, from a total edition of 518, all on Arches pure rag paper; 3 vols, folio, (42.8 x 34.5 cm); collotype facsimile illustrations hand-coloured through stencil, text onlays, light spotting to prelims, scattered light toning to text (not affecting illustrations), otherwise unmarked internally; publisher's tan quarter morocco over marbled paper-covered boards, gilt lettering to spine, spine slightly faded on text volume, matching morocco-edged slipcases, overall a bright and attractive set.