COLLECTION DE COSTUMES SUISSES DES XXII CANTONS, peints par J. Reinhard de Lucerne

Basel: Birmann & Huber, 1819 [1823]. 46 finely hand-colored engraved costume plates, each with a leaf of descriptive letterpress. 3 plates showing Whatman watermarks (plate 8: 1811; plate 36: 1823; and plate 41: 1819) 4to, beautifully bound in late 19th or early 20th century full crimson crushed morocco by J. Kulbsho, the boards feature fine gilt ruled and stippled frame with large floral corner-pieces, the spine with gilt floral decorations in gilt framed compartments between ruled raised bands, one compartment and the spine tail lettered in gilt, all edges gilt., turn-ins and board edges gilt decorated. A beautiful copy, the plates are fresh and clean with bright colours, the binding most impressive and in excellent condition, one plate with minor repair. VERY RARE. A beautiful early 19th century costume book, the hand-colouring of the plates is very masterfully achieved. The very handsome binding also makes an extremely lovely presentation. Three of the plates show Whatman Turkey Mill watermarks; Whatman paper is considered to be one of the finest English handmade papers of the 18th century. The elder James Whatman began to produce good quality white paper at his Turkey Mill in Kent around 1740. Until this time England was largely dependent on the importation of paper from neighbouring countries such as Holland, France and Germany. William Balston and the Hollingsworth Brothers became the main papermakers at Turkey Mill. These papermakers were given rights to the Whatman name after 1807. The fact that by this time their papers were being used in Switzerland gives credit to their accomplishments in bringing English papers up to, or even beyond, continental standards.