Painted Binding. 19th Century Album containing drawings, memorabilia, and botanical samples
c 1832. Unique Album, 8 5/8 x 11 3/8 in. (220 x 290 mm); 50 sheets of heavy hand made paper, come in pastel colors. Bound in light calf with dainty decorative borders in black and white ink, bearing classical motifs and medallions, tooled on corners and border in gilt and a beautiful color painting in a diamond frame at the center, bearing the view of an elegant pavilion in a formal garden, with 4 elegant characters walking about; 5 raised bands and gilt decorations with two red morocco labels, untitled; blue and beige end papers, lower corners bumped. One signature slightly loose but overall in very good plus condition.
The album contains a varied collection of memorabilia including, some pasted in and some loose:
- a dedicatory letter written on board of the ship/boat Sirena (mermaid) on 13 June 1832 to Antonietta on her name-day. The writer (unsigned) talks of this book as a reminder of the best times of his life, of travels to Naples, Pompeii, and climbing on top of Vesuvius which revived his spirit after a difficult time of his life. It refers to the drawing that he made on the occasion of a surprise encounter visit from her Villa Favorita in Herculaneum. And it mentions that she should continue to add to the album.
- precise architectural perspective drawing in graphite of a classical columned space with small figures, on laid paper, tipped in.
- a drawing in ink and watercolor with a microscopic inscription on the bottom right "Scavi per Pompeii, 1' giugno. Gio. (rest unreadable)"
- 20 pages with botanical specimens attached with paper tabs, identified in black or brown ink, some with dates (ranging 1834 to 1885) and locations
- 1 graphite drawing with brown wash of river and city view (possibly Florence)
- also a souvenir card of Petropolis with botanical samples pasted on, dated 11 January 1887 and inscribed "from dear sister Teresa)
- card with flowers sown in and named "Cristina"
- small ink drawing of Roman warrior - botanical sample from August 1861 gathered in the mountains at 1700-1800 meters a.s.l. - several blank pages in the middle of the book.
A lovely example of an intimate 19th century memorabilia album illustrating the era's sensibilities for nature and antiquities, and bound in an exquisite blank album with miniature view of a grand garden.
Condition: Very good +.
Item number: 386
Price: $4,800.00
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