Smith, John Thomas

Antiquities of Westminster ; The Old Palace ; St. Stephen's Chapel, Etc BOUND WITH Ancient Topography of London

      T Bensley et Alia, London 1807 - Bound in somewhat later c. 1900 half tan calf with marbled paper boards. Gilt spine titles on red and brown spine labels. Some loss to ends of backstrip with one portion detaching - could benefit from rebacking. First work (1807) - (7), iv- xv, (1), list of plates, 276 pages plus 38 plates, of which 14 are coloured, two heightened with gilt. Minor wrinkling to title page. Some slight foxing to margins but generally internally very clean. Second work (1815) - Colour engraved title page, (4), 82 pages. 32 further engraved plates. Both collated complete. Internally clean. Otherwise very tidy and once rebacked would be a very presentable copy indeed. A scarce work with some very interesting plates, particularly of vernacular architecture, often apparently on the point of collapse, and in the case of of plates of grand architecture, often with a sort of Piranesi quality to them with weeds growing from arches, and sundry elements of scaffolding, stray dogs, etc. We can send images of this book on request. [Attributes: First Edition; Hard Cover]