THE BOOK OF HISTORICAL COSTUMES, WITH 96 STRIKING HAND-COLORED FOLIO LITHOGRAPHIC COSTUME PLATES AFTER ENGRAVINGS BY THE PAUQUET BROTHERS, HANDSOMELY BOUND

[PAUQUET, Hippolyte and PAUQUET, Polydore]. The Book of Historical Costumes, Drawn from the Best Specimens and the Most Authentic Documents of Each Period. London: Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, circa 1868. Folio (9-1/2 by 12-1/4 inches), period-style burgundy morocco, elaborately gilt-decorated spine, raised bands, black morocco spine label, all edges gilt. $2800.

First edition in English of this survey of historical costumes from 401 A.D. through 1864, with 96 beautiful hand-colored costume plates after engravings by the Pauquet Brothers, handsomely bound in full morocco-gilt.

Focusing primarily on the nobility, this costume book features 96 folio hand-colored plates tracing the history of costume from Saint Clotilda through Imperial France. The lithographs are after engravings by the Pauquet Brothers, based on the art of famous artists such as Titian. The Pauquet brothers first issued this collection of plates in Paris, circa 1864, under the title, "Modes et Costumes Historiques." COLAS 691.

A few finger smudges and spots of foxing to interior (much less to beautiful and generally clean plates), binding fine. A lovely copy.