[Color Plate] Select Views of London. With Historical and Descriptive Sketches of Some of the Most Interesting of its Public Buildings

London: Printed for R. Ackermann, 101, Strand, by J. Diggens, St. Ann's Lane, 1816. Half-Morocco. Fine. First Edition in book form of "one of the great books of London." (Franklin), collecting a series of architectural notes describing contemporary London for Ackermann's Repository, illustrated with colored aquatints and originally published in serial form between 1810-1815. This is the issue without Papworth's name on title page (no priority established). Imperial 8vo: [8],159,[1]pp, with 76 delicately hand-colored aquatints (five folding), by J. Hamble and Joseph Constantine Stadler after Papworth and Augustus Pugin, "of past London, with representations of City churches and other topographical features now no longer in existence" (Prideaux). Later green morocco over navy pebbled cloth, flat spine (sunned to brown) lavishly gilt, all edges marbled, marbled end papers. A fine Ackermann production in a tall, attractive copy, beautifully bound, occasional light offsetting and scattered foxing, plates fresh, clean and bright. Provenance: small, discreet book label of Le Baron E. de Thysebaert to corner of front paste-down. Tooley 361. Abbey (Scenery) 217. Prideaux, p. 143-44. Franklin, pp. 90-91 ("The seventy-eight [sic] plates are excellent, printing and colouring more careful than in their first journal appearance . . ."). Papworth (he adopted the second name of Buonarroti after friends acclaimed him a second Michelangelo following his design for a Waterloo trophy), one of Ackermann's stalwarts, was an architect; designer of furniture, decorations, accessories, and store fronts, and landscape gardener. He designed Ackermann's showroom at 101 Strand. The views here are divided into two sections: the first, of places of worship, entertainment, and residences; the second, of mercantile and financial establishments (the Guildhall plate is additional, those of showroom interiors were omitted). N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, with dust jackets carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).