Architecture Suisse, Ou Choix de Maisons Rustuques Des Alpes du Canton de Berne (Swiss Architecture, or a Selection of Rustic Houses from the Alps of the Canton of Bern)
Bern: J. J. Burgdorfer, 1844. First edition. Hardcover. Elephant Folio. 20pp., xxxii plates. Bound in modern black cloth with original green, beautifully illustrated lithographic cover with black lettering pasted to front cover. Tan modern endpapers. Title page with decorative black framing. Profusely illustrated with architectural drawings and plans as well as measured drawings.
Partly illustrated in chromolithography with some additional hand-coloring, including a chromolithograph of the title page of 2nd edition plus five full page wooden houses. In addition there are five full pages in chromolithography depicting ornaments, and two pages of ornaments with left side of plate in chromolithography, and the right side in b/w.
"As much as the climate at the northern side of the Alps differs from the southern side, so are the needs of the residents; striking is the difference between the wooden houses with tall roofs of the northern Alps and the stone housing with flat roofs on the Southern side."
Contains an illustrated essay on the construction of these houses, covering the origin of the architectural style, the type of woods used, and the details significant for the construction, e.g. basement, the rooms, walls and floors, windows, ovens, ornaments, gardens and storage.
Text in German, Gothic script, and French. Pasted down title page lightly age-toned. Stamp of previous owner on front free endpaper. Some age-toning of block edges with several pages at rear with light damp-staining in margins at foredge. Very good to fine condition. Item #55573
Price: $1,500.00