Scarce first edition copy, of this wonderfully illustrated book, with colour plates and fold out map An attractively illustrated volume of Venice, describing Italy's beautiful city of canals. A combination of history and travelogue. The first of these begins with the city's foundation at the Rialto and ends with its masons, painters, glass-workers & printers. The second part is a tourist guide, beginning with the Piazza San Marco & its basilica and ending with the Lido & Chioggia. Item Description A fascinating and charming illustrated copy, capturing the essence of Venice's unique history, a beautiful book and attractive addition to any collection specialising in travel or Italian history. The book is beautifully and colourfully illustrated by Nelly Erichsen, W.K. Hinchcliffe and O.F.M. Ward, with 102 illustrations, including tissue-guarded frontispiece, 49 watercolour plates, 11 reproductions of pictures of photographs by Alinari, 20 tinted plates, 31 illustrations in text, sketch map of Italy and Eastern Mediterranean, and fold out map of Venice in the 16th century. Published by J. M. Dent & Co., London, 1903. Publisher’s original richly gilt decorated green cloth boards, with gilt design and gilt lettering on upper board and spine. Top page edges gilt. Book Dimensions: 23.5 x 17.5 x 4 cm and Number of Pages: 332 including 2 appendix and index Weight over 1.4 kg unpackaged Condition Firm, and well bound copy. Light wear to boards’ corners, and edges, with minor rubbing to head and tail of spine, with little closed tear to middle of spine. Internally the book is in good condition. A name with neat ink within a label on first front free endpaper page. Spotting to prelims but text is generally clean, with occasional foxing and spotting marks on some pages. All pages are tightly held at the gutter. Inner hinges are very good. The attractive illustrations make this a truly beautiful book (Please see pictures).