First Netherlands edition (in the original French with a parallel Dutch translation, in 2 columns) of a richly engraved artists' model book offering a fine collection of architectural ornaments and devices by the Paris architect Jean Charles de la Fosse (1734-1789), published at the cost of the Amsterdam art dealer, C.S. de Roos. The letterpress text explains the symbols used in the ornaments and devices. It was first published at Paris in 1768 with the text in French only. Although planned as a publication in two volumes (with plates 1-77 for the first volume and 78-103 for the second), and each volume has an engraved allegorical title-page, the text for volume 2 of the present edition was never published. The text therefore covers only plates 1-77, but the plates and engraved title-pages for both volumes are present and complete. The engraved title-pages read: "Recueil des portes, cheminées ... inventées par J.C. de la Fosse, et gravées par Jz. de Witt Jansz. Tome I[-II]", with the publisher's address below: "à Amsterdam chez C.S. de Roos". The series of plates made for the present Amsterdam edition also appeared under the title Algemeen kunstenaars handboek, published by Jan Willem Smit at Amsterdam, also without date, but said to have been published ca. 1790/1800, though the title-page names Fosse as if he were still living.
In good condition and with large margins. Kunst op Schrift 1027; STCN (8 copies); WorldCat (8 copies?); cf. Berlin Kat. 465 (1768 French ed.); Cat. Kunsthist. Bibl. Rijksmuseum Amst. II, p. 592 (J.W. Smit ed.); not in BAL; Bridson & White; Millard, French; Millard, Northern European.