SPL Hand Coloured Rare Book Collection Featuring Norman R Bobins

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SMITH, John Thomas.
Antiquities of Westminster; The Old Palace; St. Stephen's Chapel, (Now The House Of Commons) &c. &c.

During a restoration of Westminster in 1800, workmen by chance discovered a section of 14th century wall, complete with original wall paintings, stained glass and sculptures. With a history in illustrated books of antiquarian subjects, John Thomas Smith was eager to record the discovery before it was destroyed. Smith completed the "sketches in six weeks of solid work" (ODNB) only to encounter a setback "when the authorities transferred the rights to reproduce these paintings to the Society of Antiquaries" (ODNB). Although Smith finally published 'The Antiquities of Westminster' in 1807, the projects ill fate continued, when a fire Mr T. Bensley's printing office destroyed 400 copies of the work alongside £3000 of Smith's potential revenue (ODNB). Smith's finances never recovered from this event; in a begging letter to Lord Hardwick, of 1808, he bemoaned that 'My loss by fire has been so severe...that I fear I am Crippled for life' (Smith to Hardwick, 1 Aug 1808).

Published
London: Printed By T. Bensley, June 9th 1807.
References
Abbey Scenery 210; Adam 98; Twyman pp.29-30.
Plates
15
Binding/Size
L=FOLIO
Value
0-5000
Published
London: Printed By T. Bensley, June 9th 1807.
Ref
402

Two Volumes in one - Antiquities of Westminster [and] Sixty-Two Additional Plates. Small folio - page size 33 x 27cm. Prelims as follows the title page, portrait frontispiece, dedication, advertisement, preface to page xv. Main text pp 276, including a list of subscribers (no half-title). Bound at the back of the book is the supplement of 62 additional plates with a separate hand-coloured title page. The main body of text includes 39 plates (copper engravings lithographs and aquatints), of which 14 are hand-coloured. Both plates of The Inside of the Painted Chamber" are present - the rare stone plate and the copper replacement. This makes a total of 101 plates plus the hand-coloured title page. In addition to this, there are 24 engraved plates of the kings and queens of England. Handsome binding - full polished tan calf with extensive gilt decoration original boards re-spined (late 19th/early 20th century). Some edge-wear to boards with the leather on the edges rubbed off in places a little wear to the base of the spine, but binding remains strong. Contents very good bookplates to front paste-down no inscriptions a little foxing and staining but almost entirely restricted to page edges a few pages with dog-eared or missing corners. A very good copy with the full complement of plates. Coloured plates in order: 1. Sculpture and Painted Glass from St Stephen's Chapel. 2. Specimen of Painting from St Stephen's Chapel. 3. Specimens of Stained Glass from St Stephen's Chapel. 4. As above. 5. As above. 6. Grotesque Paintings on the Frieze in St Stephen's Chapel. 7. As above. 8. Armorial Bearings from St Stephen's Chapel. 9. As above. 10. Specimens of Sculpture from St Stephen's Chapel. 11. Specimens of Painting from St Stephen's Chapel. 12. Specimen of Painting from St Stephen's Chapel. 13. As per 11. 14. As per 12. 15. A title page.