ANTONIO SELLA Caligrafia di Antonio Sella. Rome, Giacomo Bonanni, 1840.

Oblong folio. First edition. With an illustrated frontispiece and title-page and 69 plates showing calligraphic examples from alphabets around the world after designs by Sella. Includes many orthographic ornaments characteristic of writing books of this period, such as the animal shapes formed out of scrolls and curlicues.

In addition to Cyrillic and several Arabic alphabets, Sella includes a lesson in copying the Anglo-American style, which is broken out into several exercises on the lone printed sheet.

Bound in later vellum-backed boards with gilt lettering to spine. Half-inch closed tear to bottom margin on one leaf, not affecting plate; professional repairs to outer and/or inner margins of the title-page and several other leaves; some scattered marginal foxing. A very nice copy of a scarce item. (Bonacini 1681; Berlin Kat. 5236). (21878) $1250.00

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