1. Hooke, Nathaniel.

The Roman History, From the Building of Rome to the Ruin of the Commonwealth [with the printed Dedication to Alexander Pope]. Illustrated with 17 folding Maps, 4 Fontispieces and 11 other Plates [32 copper-engravings in total].

The Fourth Edition. Four Volumes (complete set with all maps and plates). London, Printed for J. and R. Tonson; Hawkins and T.Longman, 1766 – 1771. Quarto (27 cm x 22 cm). Collation: Volume I: Frontispiece, XLVI, XLVI, 634 pages with 10 plates and 3 maps / Volume II: Frontispiece, XXXII, XXXII, 668 pages with 8 maps / Volume III: Frontispiece, VI, 694 pages with 5 maps / Volume IV: Frontispiece, VII, 464 pages plus 76 unnumbered pages of a General Index and 1 plate and 1 map. Hardcover / Original 18th-century leather with gilt lettering and labels on spine. Interior of this set with all maps and illustrations in excellent, very clean condition. The boards of the bindings with abrasions and some bumping but overall very firm. Some stronger peeling of the leather on board of Volume I, Only three pages with minor tears. The large map of Northern Africa (Palestine, Egypt and Libya) with a minor tear. The stunning maps and plates in timeless beauty. Highly underestimated work, in the shadow of Gibbon but with meticulous detail in presenting the geographical impact of the Roman Conquest. From the library of Daniel Conner (Connerville / Manch House), with his Exlibris / Bookplate to pastedown.

2. One of the most beautiful works of 18th century Illustrated Italian History – Bartoli, Pietro Santi / Giacomo de Rossi / [Trajan – Caesar Nerva Trajanus].

Colonna Traiana [The rare 18th-century Folio-Edition on Trajan’s Column, in which, atypically, all Oblong-Folio-Planches have a centerfold and which includes the often missing, large 1,1 meter – foldout-plan of Trajan’s Column] – Colonna Traiana Eretta Dal Senato, E Popolo Romano All’Imperatore Traiano Augusto Nel Suo Foro In Roma. Scolpita Con L’Historie Della Guerra Dacica La Prima E La Seconda Espeditione, E Vittoria Contro Il Re Decebalo. Nuovamente Disegnata, Et Intagliata Da Pietro Santi Bartoli. Con L’Espositione Latina D’Alfonso Ciaccone, Compendiata Nella Vulgare Lingua Sotto Ciascuna Immagine, Accresciuta Di Medaglie, Inscrittioni, E Trofei, Da Gio. Pietro Bellori. Con diligente cura, e spesa ridotta à perfettione, e data in luce da Gio. Giacomo de Rossi dalle sue stampe, in Roma, alla Pace con Privilegio del S. Pontefice.

Roma, [Giacomo de Rossi] alla Pace con Privilegio del S. Pontefice, [1751]. Folio: (26.5 cm wide x 37 cm high). All planches usually in Oblong-Folio are center-folded in this version, allowing it to be bound in Folio. Pagination: 9 unnumbered plates, [including titlepage, engraved dedication to Louis XIV, and also the large Trajan-Foldout, measuring 110 cm x 36 cm)], followed by 119 plates folded into 238 plates, [while our copy is lacking the 14 pages with Alphonso Ciacono’s “Historia Utriusque Belli Dacici A Trajano Cæsare” and Index and Colophon at the end of the Volume, this flaw is rather unimportant because this Volume is all about the masterful art of over 125 engravings and the powerful Homage by Pietro Santi Bartoli to Trajan, Rome’s “Optimus Princeps”]. Fully restored Folio in dark green Morocco, bound to 18th century – style by an english master-bindery. Unusually excellent condition with the tiniest of wormhole-damage to the Dedication pages. The plates all in exceptional condition. The large Column-Plate spellbinding.