20 BEAUTIFULLY HAND-COLORED COSTUME PLATES OF DUTCH DRESS, 1828

GREEVEN, Hendrik. Collection des Costumes des Provinces Septentrionales du Royaume des Pays-Bas. Ansterdam: François Buffa et Fils, 1828. Slim quarto, contemporary three quarter cloth and marbled paper boards rebacked with original spine laid down, original red morocco cover label. $1850.

First edition of this visual documentation of Dutch dress in the 19th century—“a greater variety than any other nation of the world”— with 20 full-page hand-colored lithographs of native costumes by Hendrik Greeven, drawn on stone by Vallon de Villeneuve.

“The costumes or dresses of a nation are the most intimately connected with its manners and character; and because the Dutch nation, in this respect, offers a greater variety than any other nation of the world… The diversity of the costumes and dresses of the Netherlands is so great and so strikingly characterizing, that the different provinces seem to be inhabited by as many tribes or colonies essentially distinct from each other.” These 24 wonderful hand-colored plates depict groups of men, women, and children from all classes and occupations in their native costumes. The explanatory texts for each plate (in both French and English) provide descriptions of the landscape and culture of the various regions, as well as local manners and modes of dress. Title page and captions in French and Dutch. Preface dated 1829. Colas 1311. Hiler, 395. Owner signature on endpaper.

Plates generally quite clean and colors bright, scattered spots of foxing to text, slight edge-wear to original boards. A handsome copy.