Rare Antique Books: Italian School of Design — 1835 British Royal Collection, Complete 2-Volume Set

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A Bibliophile's Dream: Rare 1835 "Italian School of Design" — From the British Royal Collection
Here's something truly extraordinary — … Read more A Bibliophile's Dream: Rare 1835 "Italian School of Design" — From the British Royal Collection
Here's something truly extraordinary — a complete matched pair of Italian School of Design volumes, published London 1835, featuring masterful engravings made directly from drawings in the personal collection of His Majesty the King of England. Published by Lewis A. Lewis, 15 Poultry, London.
The Rarest Kind of Book
Serious collectors know that the finest antiquarian books almost never appear on the open market. For generations they pass quietly between private libraries, inherited estates, and the homes of discerning collectors — treasured, protected, and rarely surrendered. Books of this caliber — large format, royal provenance, with handmade paper and master engravings intact after nearly two centuries — are precisely the kind that disappear into great private collections and simply never resurface. When they do come to market, it is almost always by chance, through the dispersal of a distinguished estate. This is one of those rare moments. For the serious collector, opportunities like this do not come twice.
The Physical Experience & Decorative Power
There is something deeply special about holding these books. At 15 × 11 inches and substantial in weight, they have the commanding presence that only a truly great folio can deliver. The half leather spines are warm and smooth to the touch, the gilt-tooled raised bands catching the light beautifully. The handmade Florentine marbled paper boards — rich in deep burgundy, burnt orange and slate blue — feel entirely alive in a way no modern book can replicate. Opening the pages reveals the distinctive texture of nearly 200-year-old handmade paper — thick, creamy, and with a solidity that speaks to extraordinary craftsmanship.
But perhaps the greatest pleasure these books offer is purely decorative. Lay one open on a library table, a writing desk, or a coffee table and the effect is immediate and transformative. A large landscape engraving spread open across two pages — a sweeping Italian countryside, a stone bridge, figures on horseback — becomes an object of extraordinary beauty in any room. Interior designers have long understood what collectors know instinctively: that a great antique book laid open is one of the most quietly powerful decorative statements a room can make. It speaks of culture, history, and a life well lived. These volumes deliver exactly that, and at a scale that commands attention without demanding it. Closed on a shelf they are impressive. Open on a table they are unforgettable.
Exceptional Provenance
These volumes come directly from the East Hampton, New York home of a former United States Ambassador to France — a collection assembled with the eye of a diplomat and the passion of a serious collector.
The Prints & Master Engravers
304 large engraved plates (152 per volume) by F. Bartolozzi, J. Basire, and other master hands, reproducing original drawings by Guercino, Michelangelo, Domenichino, Annibale, Ludovico & Agostino Carracci, Pietro da Cortona, Carlo Maratti, Elisabetta Sirani, Pellegrino Tibaldi, Franceschino, and more.
What You're Getting

Complete Set: Volumes I & II
304 large engraved plates total (152 per volume)
Size: 15 × 11 inches
Binding: Half leather spine with gilt-tooled raised bands over handmade Florentine marbled paper boards
Paper: Handmade throughout
Age: Nearly 200 years old (1835)
Priced as a complete matched set. Individual volumes available upon request.

Condition
Remarkably well-preserved for their age. The marbled boards remain vivid, the prints clean and bright. One larger fold-out landscape plate (as pictured) has an old tear along the fold — entirely consistent with age and the mark of a well-loved book, and in no way detracting from the beauty of the print, which remains fully suitable for framing. A few other minor period-consistent imperfections throughout, but overall superbly maintained. Why This Matters
Direct connection to the British Royal Collection makes this far more than a decorative library set — it is a tangible piece of art history. Keep as a matched pair for a distinguished library, or explore the individual prints as frameable masterworks. With 304 plates of Renaissance master drawings by the greatest Italian masters, the possibilities are extraordinary.
Publisher: Lewis A. Lewis, London, 1835
Binding: Half leather with handmade Florentine marbled paper covers, gilt spine tooling See less