Passeri, Giovanni Battista. The important precursor to Hamilton's Vases

PASSERI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA

PICTURAE ETRUSCORUM IN VASCULIS NUNC PRIMUM IN UNUM COLLECTAE. ROME: J. ZEMPEL, 1767, 1770, AND 1775

3 volumes, folio (16 x 10 3/4 in.; 406 x 273 mm). Half-titles, 3 engraved frontispieces, titles printed in red and black with engraved title-vignettes, head- and tailpieces, and initials all hand-colored, the initials finished with gold, 2 engraved dedications, one of which hand-colored, 301 hand colored engraved plates, 31 of which double-page, numbered I-CCC, plus CCLVbis, by G. Cassini and others, one uncolored plate and 4 tables, one if which folding. Expertly bound to style in half calf over period Italian marbled paper covered boards, spines with raised bands, morocco lettering pieces in second and third compartments, others with an overall repeat decoration in gilt.

A rare complete, hand-colored set of the important precursor to Hamilton's Vases

Giovanni Battista Passeri was a noted archaeologist and antiquary to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. These three finely illustrated volumes depicting specimens from forty collections throughout Italy and even beyond the Alps, reflect his abiding belief in the superiority of Etruscan over Greek civilization.

REFERENCE:

Blackmer 1265; Brunet IV:418; Cicognara 2615