Apr 16, 2026 10:00 EST
Rare Books, Autographs & Maps
46
An important guide to eighteenth-century Venice, owned by a contemporary artist
[ALBRIZZI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA]
Forestiero illuminato intorno le cose piu' rare, e curiose antiche, e moderne, della citta' di Venezia. Venezia: Giambattista Albrizzi. 1765. Second edition, significantly expanded from the first of 1740. Contemporary vellum with a simple gilt lettering piece, 6 3/8 x 4 1/4 inches (16 x 10.75 cm.) Collation: 8º: a8A-2D8; [xvi], 1-419, [11] pp.; [44] leaves of plates. Front hinge just cracked but firm; minor worming to the binding. Internally clean, with slight thumbsoiling throughout and occasional spotting. The first plate after the frontispiece, an overhead view of Venice, has a small paper repair to the gutter and now stands a few millimeters proud of the textblock and is consequently rumpled at its very outer edges. With the ownership inscription of Flamino Minozzi to the front free endleaf and a gift inscription from Alberto Minozzi to the verso of the rear free endleaf.
One of the most important guides to eighteenth-century Venice, owned by a contemporary Italian artist. Flamino Innocent Minozzi (1735-1817) was a Bolognese painter and designer, known especially for his writings on ornament and his quadratura trompe-l'œil vault paintings. His brother Alberto also a painter, but only worked as an assistant. The author of this work, Giovanni Battista Albrizzi, was a well known publisher in Venice, as well as a patron of the arts.
Sold for $832
Estimated at $600 - $800
Includes Buyer's Premium
[ALBRIZZI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA]
Forestiero illuminato intorno le cose piu' rare, e curiose antiche, e moderne, della citta' di Venezia. Venezia: Giambattista Albrizzi. 1765. Second edition, significantly expanded from the first of 1740. Contemporary vellum with a simple gilt lettering piece, 6 3/8 x 4 1/4 inches (16 x 10.75 cm.) Collation: 8º: a8A-2D8; [xvi], 1-419, [11] pp.; [44] leaves of plates. Front hinge just cracked but firm; minor worming to the binding. Internally clean, with slight thumbsoiling throughout and occasional spotting. The first plate after the frontispiece, an overhead view of Venice, has a small paper repair to the gutter and now stands a few millimeters proud of the textblock and is consequently rumpled at its very outer edges. With the ownership inscription of Flamino Minozzi to the front free endleaf and a gift inscription from Alberto Minozzi to the verso of the rear free endleaf.
One of the most important guides to eighteenth-century Venice, owned by a contemporary Italian artist. Flamino Innocent Minozzi (1735-1817) was a Bolognese painter and designer, known especially for his writings on ornament and his quadratura trompe-l'œil vault paintings. His brother Alberto also a painter, but only worked as an assistant. The author of this work, Giovanni Battista Albrizzi, was a well known publisher in Venice, as well as a patron of the arts.
Auction: Rare Books, Autographs & Maps, Apr 16, 2026
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Successful Auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 Surpasses Expectations
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Thomas Jefferson Letter Commenting on Toussaint Louverture Achieves $32,000
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Consignments Are Currently Being Accepted for Future Auctions
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We Invite You to Contact Us for Complimentary Auction Estimates of Your Collection
NEW YORK, NY – Doyle's auction of Rare Books, Autographs & Maps on April 16, 2026 saw international competition drive strong results throughout the sale and a total that surpassed expectations.
Thomas Jefferson Letter on Toussaint Louverture
Highlighting the sale was a fascinating 1802 letter from Thomas Jefferson as president to Maryland Governor John Francis Mercer that achieved a strong $32,000. The remarkable letter captures a rare, candid moment in which Jefferson assesses, with striking clarity, the arrest of Toussaint Louverture, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, by French General Charles LeClerc, Napoleon’s brother-in-law. Jefferson perceptively warned that LeClerc’s actions would erode trust and likely spark further racial conflict—an insight that proved remarkably accurate. Beyond its sharp political foresight, the letter reflects the broader anxiety the Haitian Revolution provoked in the United States, which contributed to decades of diplomatic isolation of Haiti.
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Consignments are currently being accepted for future auctions. We invite you to contact us for complimentary auction estimates. Our Specialists are always available to discuss the sale of a single item or an entire collection.
