PLANCHÉ’S CYCLOPAEDIA OF COSTUME, WITH 24 VIBRANT CHROMOLITHOGRAPHS AND HUNDREDS OF IN-TEXT ILLUSTRATIONS

PLANCHÉ, James Robinson. A Cyclopædia of Costume or Dictionary of Dress, Including Notices of Contemporaneous Fashions on the Continent. London: Chatto & Windus, 1876. Two volumes. Quarto, contemporary full tan morocco gilt, elaborately gilt-decorated spines, raised bands, later morocco spine labels, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. $3500.

First edition of this richly illustrated compendium of medieval dress, costume, armor and weaponry, with hundreds of in-text wood-engravings, 18 full-page lithographed plates, and 24 vibrant full-page chromolithographs. Handsomely bound in full contemporary morocco-gilt.

Planché was a renowned scholar of antiquaries and costume history, as well as a leading author of London's Lyceum theatre. His Cyclopaedia covers military and religious costume as well as day-to-day 'civilian' clothing. Volume I is the "Cyclopædia" proper, with 10 chromolithographs, and Volume II provides "A General History of Costume," with 14 chromolithographs. Armorial bookplate; library stamp of the Moore Institute School of Design on the verso of the front free endpapers (not on any plates).

Text and plates clean and fine. Expert restoration to joints and extremities. An exceptionally good copy of this lovely illustrated work, desirable in full contemporary morocco-gilt.