Holanda

1891 — Two volumes. Quarto. I. Text. Pp. 63, xiv, plus 20 plates printed in fine tinted collotype on 10 leaves; II. Portfolio containing 42 leaves of plates with a total of 1060 portraits printed in fine collotype, each numbered at top right corner in neat contemporary hand and bears small unobtrusive stamp on verso. The first leaf is a decorative composite portrait of the Battalion's commanders. Hardcover, uniformly bound in red half cloth and printed boards, lettered and decorated in red and black, old small shelf ticket in matching colour, institutional stamp inside. In a very good condition, fine plates. ~ First edition. Printed by the Amsterdam collotype printing firm of Van Dias. [ADDED:] Original leaflet by Engelbrecht and Anemaet which accompanied the presentation of the first volume to the Subscribers. It announces their decision to issue this publication in two volumes, the 2nd to be followed in a later date. Each Subscriber is kindly requested to remit a total of 4 Dutch Guilders in order to cover the unexpected extra costs. ~ Beautifully illustrated. Collotype is one of the most accurate and attractive methods of photomechanical tonal printing processes. Highly skilled and expensive process, it cannot produce more than a limited number of impressions. It has been used for single-sheet prints and luxury portfolios, and since the 1950s has been abandoned by all except a few small specialist firms.