Americana Exchange

Auction Details

Auction House Bonhams
Website www.bonhams.com
Auction Name Books, Maps, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs
Sale Number 18992
Auction Date Nov 22, 2011 - Nov 22, 2011

Lot Details : Bonhams

Lot Number 516     
Author FOSSATI (GASPARD)
Title Aya Sofia Constantinople, as Recently Restored by Order of H.M. the Sultan Abdul Medjid,
Year Published 1852
Description Aya Sofia Constantinople, as Recently Restored by Order of H.M. the Sultan Abdul Medjid, first edition, six pages of letterpress, chromolithographed decorative title and 25 hand-coloured lithographed plates highlighted with varnish, mounted on card, some spotting (mostly to title and text, or margins) loose as issued in publisher's morocco portfolio, gilt lettered on upper cover [Abbey 397; Blackmer 619], folio (560 x 459mm.), P. & D. Colnaghi, 14 August, 1852
Lot Note FIRST AND BEST EDITION WITH THE PLATES HAND-COLOURED AND MOUNTED ON CARD. The first modern account of Aghia Sophia, with the text in French edited by Adalbert de Beaumont from Fossati's original notes. Fossati travelled to Constantinople in 1837, in the employ of the Russian court. In 1847 he was commissioned to restore the Aghia Sophia, in the course of which he uncovered the dazzling mosaics recorded in this work.
Estimated Price GBP 30,000.00 - 40,000.00( USD 45600.00 - USD 60800.00)
Actual Price GBP 34,850.00 ( USD 52972.00)