[ALBRIZZI, Giovanni Battista (1698-1777); Zucchi, Francesco (1692-1764); Filosi, Giuseppe]. Forestiere illuminato intorno le cose più rare, e curiose, antiche, e moderne della città di Venezia, e dell' isole circonvicine; con la descrizione delle chiese, monisterj, ospedali, tesoro di S. Marco, fabbriche pubbliche, pitture celebri, e di quanto v'è di più riguardevole. Opera adornata di molte bellissime vedute in rame delle fabbriche più cospicue di questa metropoli. In Venezia [Venice]: Presso Giambattista Albrizzi Q. Gir., MDCCLXI [1761].
Hardcover. Reprint. Leather-bound. Thick octavo (170 x 110mm), pp. (18), 343, (9 index) + 42 unpaginated plates. Signatures: *2 a⁸ A-Y⁸ [including initial and terminal blanks]. Original Italian text. Handsomely rebound in half calf; five raised bands; twin red morocco lettering-pieces; gilt rules, tooling and titling. Untrimmed fore edge. Engraved frontispiece. Title-page with woodcut printer's device. Double page copper-engraved birds eye view of Venice bound-in after the introduction. Forty engraved plates by F. Zucchi (twenty-five double page). Capitals and some decorative initials. Index to rear. Bookplates to front pastedown. Condition: GOOD to VERY GOOD. The binding is very secure and the covers very clean indeed. The textblock shows some light browning, however it remains largely clean. The double page engraved view of Venice and the double engraved plate of the church of S. Nicolo di Castello and the Capuchin monastery of S. Antonio Abate at p. 86 are not called for in the collation. With 40 of 43 other engraved plates by F. Zucchi, lacking the plate of the Rialto at p. 195, the Veduta di Venezia at p. 233, and that of the Giuoco di Forze at p. 337, otherwise complete. Provenance: bookplates of John and Michael Bury. Scarce.
Notes: Rare reprint edition of one of the most famous historical-artistic 18th century guidebooks to Venice compiled by the famous Venetian printer and publisher Giovanni Battista Albrizzi, which gave great impetus to the quality of Venetian publishing. The plates depict many of the most important monuments and city views: palaces, churches, squares, bridges, the lagoon with sailing ships and gondolas, libraries, galleries, education institutions, statues, and prominent houses; festival and holidays are listed at the end of the book, and many of the engravings can serve as small maps. [Schlosser, 563; Morazzoni 230, 64-65].
