Costumi della corte pontificia
Rome, ca. 1850

This charming Vatican souvenir illustrates the costumes of court officials, including bishops (Roman, Greek, Armenian, Syrian), the Swiss Guard, and, of course, the Pope on various occasions, in 30 brightly hand-colored plates with captions in Italian. The contents unfold accordion-style in one long strip comprised of seven pieces neatly joined together in a Leporello binding.

Souvenir Serge de Diaghileff’s Ballet Rouse
Artwork by Leon Bakst. New York, Metropolitan Ballet Company, ca. 1916.

14 plates in color of costume art by Léon Bakst and others including one double-page; black and white photograph plates of costumed actors; advertisements at rear. 12x9”, saddle-sewn brown wrappers.

Souvenir for an American production of this Russian ballet.

Theatre
Adolf Bauerle, ed. Vienna, Bureau der allgemeinen Theaterzeitung, 1841-1843, [1847-1848?].

Extensive collection of handcoloured plates from this vibrantly illustrated, popular Austrian cultural magazine, depicting costumes, theatre scenes, famous theatre-players and other contemporary celebrities, (political) carricatures, curiosities and rebuses. The magazine was founded by Adolf Bäuerle (1786-1859) in 1806 with the title ‘Allgemeine Theaterzeitung und Originalblatt für Kunst, Literatur, Musik, Mode und geselliges Leben’. Its title was changed in 1807: ‘Zeitung für Theater, Musik und Poesie’, later in ‘Theaterzeitung….’, ‘Wiener Theater Zeitung’, and ‘Allgemeine Theaterzeitung….’. The collection comprises plates from several issues, also from the years 1847, 1848, and 1849. With a plate of General Thom Thumb (Charles Sherwood Stratton, (1838-1883) a.o. dwarf at the court of Queen Victoria and at the circus of P.T. Barnum.

B-A Note: Several more vivid illustrations at the link.

Lucinda, the Orphan: or The Costumes, a Tale Exemplified in a Series of Dresses
Printed for S. & J. Fuller, London, 1812, includes paper doll, seven costumes, six hats, book and slip case (light surface wear on book and slip case, some toning on figure).

PETITE GALERIE DRAMATIQUE ou recueil des differentes costumes d’acteurs des theâtres de la capitale. Paris, Martinet, 1796-1843. 10 vols. 8vo. Contemporary, marbled boards. Labels with title and shelf number in ink pasted on spine. With 1602 (of 1636) hand-coloured full-page engraved plates, of which 8 are folding.

Fine set of beautifully hand-coloured plates of theatrical costumes. The often humorous plates scenically portray the most important Paris actors and actresses of the early nineteenth-century and are of great interest to theatrical history. The plates were separately published over a period of almost 50 years. ‘Ein vollständiges Exemplar von 1636 Tafeln is daher äusserst selten’ (Lipperheide).

B-A note: This is an impressively large collection - 1,602 engraved plates!: See image of the whole collection below, and more plates at the link. Via Antiquariaat Forum.

yama-bato:

theshipthatflew:

Niclauss Kippell (German), Costume Book, Venetian Revellers, ca. 1588 (Walters Museum)

Oh, beautiful!

Italian Opera. Autograph volume of over 100 coloured costume designs by Romolo Liverani (1809-1872), including for operas by Rossini, Donizetti, and Bellini.

Drawn in pen and ink, with coloured washes, and autograph captions and descriptions, including costumes for Otello (9), Il barbiere di Siviglia, La straniera (7), La Vestale (8), Medea in Corinto, L’esule di Granata, Ifigenia in Aulide, Romeo e Giulietta, Elisabetta Regina d’Inghilterra, together with costumes for Turks, Greeks, Russians (6), Crusaders, Egyptians (6), Celts etc., including for ballets (Giovanna d’Arco, Gabriella di Vergy), inscribed by the artist on the fly-leaf (“Tomo Decimo Settimo di N.110 Figurini di Costumi Fatti in 1831, da Romolo Liverani Scenografo…”) and label to spine, 103 pages, 8vo (c.20.5 x 13.5cms), contemporary boards, probably Faenza, 1831.

via Sotheby’s

Il Costume Antico e Moderno ovvero Storia del Governo, della Milizia, della Religione, delle Arti, Scienze ed Usanze di tutti i Populi Antichi e Moderni… Ferrario, Giulio. Livorno, Tipografia Vignozzi, 1830-1838.

Rare edition of Ferrario’s notable work on the costume of the world - OCLC lists several partial sets, but none complete as this one. The are 4 volumes devoted to America; 3 to Africa; 7 to Asia; 2 to Asia Aggiunte; and 10 volumes in 16 to Europe. Lipperheide 51, cites a folio edition published between 1817-1834; Hiler, p.311, citing an 1827 Milan edition; Colas cites other editions.

via pba galleries

Eight magnificent and very rare suites of eighteenth-century, uniformly coloured costumes plates: the Ottoman Empire - Germany (Nürnberg, Strassbourg) - Switserland (Zürich) - World (incl. American Indians) - French army

Very fine collection of eight very rare suites with in total 180 costume plates, beautifully picturing the costumes of various countries and cities in Europe, the Ottoman Empire, the entire world (including plates of American Indians, Africans, and people from India), and military costumes from France and Hungary. All plates en titles in a beautiful contemporary colouring by hand, many heightened with gold. Apart from the last suite of 20 uncut plates which are somewhat smaller, the other plates are printed on large paper (388 x 245 mm) with broad margins. In the upper margin of the plates the two original prickings to hang out to dry, are still present.

via Antiquariaat Forum