£1,995.00
Author: Thomas Frognall Dibdin
Publisher: London, Printed for the Author by W. Bulmer and W. Nicol, Shakespeare Press, 1821
First edition. 83 plates (incl. portraits; 1 colour, 2 sepia, & 5 double-page) & 63 smaller illustrations in the text, some on India paper, mounted
8vo., 3 volumes
First edition, regular paper issue. One of a very few books by Dibdin that went into a second edition. "The collation is very irregular by reason of the fact that all illustrations in the text, being printed on India paper pasted-in, are on separately inserted leaves... This Voyage Pittoresque is lavishly illustrated, mainly with copperplates after drawings by G.R. Lewis and others. Dibdin says he spent over 7000 pounds on the book, being the first patron to pay 100 guineas for a plate... It has been unkindly said of this book that it would have been better without any text. However, it does contain a modicum of bibliographical information that is still useful if used with due caution" (Jackson). Lowndes notes that it "contains much useful and curious information" on the libraries and private collections of Europe.