FALDA, Giovanni Battista (1648--1678)
[Giardini di Roma. 1683?]
Li. giardini. di. Roma. con. le. loro. piante. alzate. e. vedvte. in. prospettiva. disegnate. ed. intagliate. da Gio. Battista. Falda.
[Roma]:, nuouamente dati alle stampe, con direttione, e cura di Gio: Giacomo de Rossi, alla Pace, all'insegna di Parigi. in Roma con Priu. del S. Pont.,, [1683?].
21 pl. ; 48.7 cm. (2º)

The engraved title-plate and dedication are numbered 1 and 2 in the sequence of plates. The plates were probably first issued in the 1670s (though no copy of such an impression has been identified) and in this form can be dated from between 1683 when the dedicatee Livio Odescalchi was created Duca di Ceri, and 1691 when G.G. de' Rossi died. In most copies the title-leaf is undated and the plates are numbered, but copies are found with the title-plate imprint dated after the privilege 'l'Anno. 1683' and the plates unnumbered; see Soane copy 4. These copies are usually assumed to be an early state of the suite but the layout of the page suggests it was designed to be symmetrical without the additional text. BAL, Early printed books, no. 1017.

Copy Notes Copy 1: With the plates bound vertically. Watermark: paschal lamb in double-line circle with vertically opposed letters 'A' and 'N'. Bound last with copies of G.G. de' Rossi's Insignium templorum (q.v., copy 1) and Disegni di vari altari e cappelle (q.v., copy 4), and Ferrerio's Palazzi di Roma (q.v., copy 4). The volume's contents and the numbers of the plates are listed in ink in an earlier English hand on the front free-endpaper, which has the upper fore-edge corner excised as if to remove an ownership inscription. The front pastedown inscribed in ink Cat and in pencil with 1.11.6; booksellers' codes in ink and pencil on the rear endpapers.
Copy 2: 46.3 cm. With the plates bound vertically. Bound (2) after a copy of de' Rossi's Insignium Romæ templorum prospectus, 1684 (q.v., copy 3). Previously stitched in oblong format.
Copy 3: 35.8 x 48.0 cm. Imperfect; wanting pl. 3. Watermark: paschal lamb in double-line circle with vertically opposed letters 'A' and 'N'. Bound (2) in oblong format with 'Libro Secondo' only of Ferrerio, Palazzi di Roma (q.v., copy 3). Inscribed in ink on front free-endpaper Palaces in Rome pt 2^d. 61 plates / Gardens in Rome - 21 plates y^e. 3^d. want^g.
Copy 4: 35.8 x 46.4 cm. This copy has the title-plate reading as above with the imprint dated 'l'Anno. 1683.' after the privilege (see above), and the plates in the unnumbered state. The title-plate watermark is a fleur-de-lys in a double-line circle with initial 'G' [or 'D?'] at the head. Robert Adam's copy, bound (2) with Ferrerio's Palazzi di Roma (q.v., copy 1) in a volume inscribed in ink on the front pastedown Mr. Adam's Sale / May 1818 / £1:10:0. Bought as lot 57 in the first day of the Adam sale (q.v.). (Priv. Corr. XVI.E.3.12).

Binding Copy 1: C17th full parchment, red morocco spine-label gilt-lettered 'Palazzi. Chiese. E. Altari Di Roma'.
Copy 2: C19th half russia, gilt-ruled borders, gilt-ruled spine direct-lettered in gilt 'Rossi Altari. Di Roma' and 'Falda Gl' Giardini Di Roma'. Bound by Peter Low on 9 September 1805 for 14s. 6d. (Spiers Box).
Copy 3: C18th gilt- and blind-panelled calf, inner and outer panels sprinkled, the middle panel marbled, gilt-tooled spine, maroon morocco spine-label gilt-lettered 'Palazzi Et Giardin'.
Copy 4: C18th mottled sheep, gilt-tooled spine, red morocco spine-label, gilt-lettered 'Palazzi E Giardin Di Roma'.

Reference Number 2227

Additional Names ROSSI, Giovanni Giacomo de' (fl. 1650--1691)