Italy - LE TASSE (Torquato TASSO dit). La Gerusalemme libera - Lot 233

Italy - LE TASSE (Torquato TASSO dit). La Gerusalemme liberata di Torquato Tasso. Paris, Delalain & Cie, 1771. 2 vols. large in-8, red morocco, richly decorated smooth spines, triple gilded fillet framing the covers with small fleurons in the spandrels, double gilded fillet on the edges, inner gilded roulette, gilded edges (period binding). Very handsome edition published by G. Conti, printed on large Hollande paper with the special binding designed by Gravelot. It is illustrated with 2 frontispieces with portraits of Le Tasse and Gravelot, 2 engraved titles with fleurons by Drouët, a dedication leaf with vignette by Le Roy, 20 hors-texte figures, 9 large culs-de-lampe and 14 smaller ones at the end of the songs, as well as 20 head vignettes with portraits whose names are in Italian, characteristic of first editions; all by Gravelot, engraved by Baquoy, Duclos, Henriquez, Leveau, Lingée, Le Roy, Massard, Mesnil, Née, Patas, Ponce, Rousseau and Simonet. (Cohen 974.) A precious copy in contemporary morocco decorated with Gravelot's special decoration.