Versailles, Paris, and Saint Denis;

Forty Superb Hand-Colored Aquatints
"Some of the Finest Aquatint Plates in Existence"

NATTES, J[ohn] C[laude]. Versailles, Paris, and Saint Denis; or a Series of Views from drawings made on the spot, illustrative of the Capital of France, and the surrounding places. With an historical and descriptive account. London: W. Miller, [1810].

First edition, early impression, with plates watermarked 1808. Folio (17 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches). [iv], 86 pp, including title page and list of plates. Forty hand-colored aquatint plates, each plate marked, J.C. Nattes del. (or delin.) I Hill Aquatinta (with the exception of plate 29 which is marked Cartwright Aquatinta).

Beautifully rebound to period in full black straight grain morocco with elegant gilt tool work and rolls. First four leaves of text possess expertly executed fore-edge restoration not affecting text; two leaves with neatly repaired short tears (1/4 - 1/2 inch) to upper margin not affecting text. A fine copy.

"Some of the finest aquatint plates in existence are those done from the drawings of John Claude Nattes, and always catalogued under his name. Nattes, born in England about 1765, was a topographical draughtsman who travelled and made sketches for illustrated works.�[T]he Views of Bath and those of Versailles, Paris, St Denis�are well known as fine and attractive books" (Prideaux, p. 274).

Individual plates from this highly desirable book hang in art museums throughout the world, i.e. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (NYC). ABPC notes only three copies coming to auction in the last thirty-five years. OCLC/KVK note only eight copies in institutional collections worldwide: Morgan, Yale, LOC, NTPL, BL, V&A, Manchester, N'tl Library of Scotland.

Originally issued in parts, this series of plates was issued both plain and colored, and with the accompanying text in English or in French (as in Tooley's copy).

Abbey, Travel, 103. Prideaux p. 346. Tooley 342 (text in French). Bibliotheca Britannica p. 696.

Price: $0

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