Italy, ca. 1780. Small folio (22.7 x 15.9 cm). 24 blank leaves of laid paper. Full burgundy calf; boards rich gilt with floral ornaments in a late Louis XV style. Patterned pastedowns. All edges gilt with floral patterns. preserved pink buckram clamshell box (23.6 x 17.1 x 2.2 cm) with gilt title on the spine.

A fine, 18th-century Italian binding, containing nothing but blank leaves. No leaves have been written on - the pages all blank, unmarked, and not damaged in any way, or removed. No glue, no smudges - a very rare condition indeed. Slight wear to extremities and some tiny defects, upper part of spine with some loss of gilt. Watermarks present are of a Cherub on a ball, waving a sash or banner, not unlike No. 9 of the Ingeborg Hartmann Collection, but more detailed; and bearing the name of the famous Dutch paper mill Van Gelder, renowned throughout Europe for the quality of its paper. A wonderful, beautifully preserved item. Samshuijzen, J. (2021) The Ingeborg M. Hartmann Collection of 142 Old Watermarks 15th - 19th Century.