Folio, title in red and black with hand-coloured engraved vignette heightened in gold; Vol. I: 80 hand-coloured engraved plates by Kip after Leonard Knyff, 6ff., title, preface, and description; 1 folding engraved view of Hatfield by James Collins after Thomas Sadler. Contemporary mottled calf gilt, boards paneled with gilt corner pieces and large arabesques blocked at centre of each, spine in seven sections with raised bands, repeat decorations in compartments. The first edition appeared in 1707 with an English title; this edition, with a title in French, followed one year later. These early editions carry the best impressions of these magnificent prints and are superior to those published in the 1720s. Kip, who had been a pupil of Bastiaen Stopendaal (1836-1707), had made engravings from 1672 onwards. In 1686 he made six plates of William of Orange, his Wife, and Attendants near The Hague. Shortly after William took over the English throne in 1689, Kip traveled to England, although it was unknown whether it was motivated by connections with William’s court. Most of Kip’s work consists of topography, which has been called “the most dynamic area of publishing … in the first quarter of the century” (Clayton, The English Print, 75). It was possibly at William’s court that Kip began to develop and produce the bird’s-eye prospect views of the country in which William had taken a personal interest in becoming king. About 1698, he started producing plates for his best-known work, Britannia Illustrata, or, Views of Several of the Queen’s Palaces, and the engraved bird’s eye prospects were sold on single sheets from about 1700 and issued together in 1707. For the first volume of this work, which achieved “immediate success” (Harris 140), Kip engraved the views drawn by Leonard Knyff, but he drew and engraved the views himself for the second volume. In all probability, he sold out his interests in the work before or shortly after publication, and it was expanded by booksellers with contributions from other artists from 1709. Kip also drew and engraved the sixty-five plates for Atkyn’s 'Ancient and Present State of Gloucestershire' (1712) and engraved Thomas Bladeslade’s drawings for John Harris’s 'The History of Kent' (1719). Kip’s contemporary reputation as a fashionable engraver probably peaked in 1708 with the appearance of the work, but he found himself superseded by the engraver Henry Hulsburgh, who introduced a more up-to-date architectural survey into the expanded work of 1715. Kip retained a persuasive reputation as a draughtsman and engraver. He published a 12-sheet view of St James’s Park from Buckingham House in 1710 and, around 1715, was chosen by Godrey Kneller to survey his house. Coloured plates in order: Title page - small engraved vignette heightened in gold. 1. St. James's House. 2. [Plan] St. James Palace and Park. 3. Windsor Castle. 4. Hampton Court. 5. Somerset House. 6. The Tower of London, commanded in Chief by the Rt. Hon. Robert, Lord Lucas. 7. Lambeth, His Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury's Palace. 8. (First view) Badminton in the County of Gloucester, one of the Seats of the Most Noble and Potent Prince Henry Duke of Beaufort... 9. (Second view) Badminton in the County of Gloucester, one of the Seats of the Most Noble and Potent Prince Henry Duke of Beaufort... 10. (Third view) Badminton in the County of Gloucester, one of the Seats of the Most Noble and Potent Prince Henry Duke of Beaufort... 11. (Fourth view) Badminton in the County of Gloucester, one of the Seats of the Most Noble and Potent Prince Henry Duke of Beaufort... 12. The House at Chelsey in the County of Middlesex, one of the Seats of the Most Noble & Potent Prince Henry Duke of Beaufort... 13. A Prospect of the House at Windsor, Belonging to his Grace Charles Beauclerck, Duke of St. Albans... 14. The Castle at Bolsover in Derbyshire, one of the Seats of the Most Noble and Mighty Prince John Holles, Duke of Newcastle... 15. Haughton in the County of Nottingham, one of the Seats of the Most Noble and Mighty Prince John, Duke of Newcastle... 16. Chattsworth. 17. (First view) Wrest House in Bedfordshire, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Henry, Earle of Kent. 18. (Second view) Wrest House in Bedfordshire, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Henry, Earle of Kent. 19. (First view) Grimsthorp in the County of Lincoln, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Robert, Earl of Lindsey... 20. (Second view) Grimsthorp in the County of Lincoln, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Robert, Earl of Lindsey... 21. (Third view) Grimsthorp in the County of Lincoln, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Robert, Earl of Lindsey... 22. (Fourth view) [Untitled, but] Grimsthorp in the County of Lincoln, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Robert, Earl of Lindsey... 23. Knowle in the Parish of Sevenoaks in Kent, being the Mansion House of Charles Sackvile, Baron Buckhurst... 24. The South Prospect of Hatfield House [...] being the Seat of the Rt. Hon. James Cecil, Earle of Salisbury (folding plate). 25. Newnham Place in Warwickshire, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Basill Feilding.... 26. Bredby in Derbyshire, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Phillip Stanhope, Earle of Chesterfield... 27. Althorp in the County of Northampton, being the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Robert, Earle of Sunderland... 28. Cashiobury the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Earle of Essex in Hartfordshire. 29. Burlington House in Pickadilly, belonging to the Rt. Hon. Charles Boyle, Baron Clifforde of Londesburgh... 30. The House at Chiswick in the County of Middlesex, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. Charles Boyle, Baron Clifforde of Londesburgh... 31. Londesburgh, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. Charles, Earl of Burlington, Baron Clifforde of Londesburgh... 32. Wimple in the County of Cambridge, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Charles Bodville, Lord Robartes Baron of Truro.... 33. New Parke in Surrey the Seat of the Rt. Hon. the Earle of Rochester. 34. Rycott in the County of Oxford, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. Montague, Earle of Abingdon.... 35. Wythame in the County of Berks, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. Montague, Earle of Abingdon... 36. Stanstead in the County of Sussex, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Richard, Earle of Scarborough... 37. Dunham Massie, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. George, Earle of Warrington in the County Palatine of Chester. 38. Up Parke in Sussex, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Ford, Lord Grey, Baron of Werke... 39. Long Leate, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Thomas Lord Weymouth, Baron of Warminster. 40. Long Leate, the House and Gardens of the Rt. Hon. Thomas Lord Weymouth, Baron of Warminster. 41. Lowther in the County of Westmoreland, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. the Lord Viscount Lonsdale... 42. Temple Newsam, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Arthur Lord Ingram, Viscount Irwin in the West Ryding of the County of Yorke. 43. Staunton Harold in the County of Leicester, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. Robert Lord Ferrers... 44. Brome Hall in the County of Suffolk, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. Charles Lord Cornwallis... 45. Hamstead Marshall in the County of Berks, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. William Lord Craven... 46. Ashdowne Parke in the County of Berks, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. William Lord Craven... 47. Comb Abbey in Warwickshire, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. William Lord Craven... 48. Dawly in the County of Middlesex, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Charles Lord Ossulstone. 49. Fair Lawn in the County of Kent, one of the Seats of the Rt. Hon. the Lord Barnard. 50. Hampton Court in Herefordshire, the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Thomas Lord Coningesby, Baron of Clanbrazell in the Kingdom of Ireland... 51. Melton Constable in the County of Norfolk, the Seat of the Hon. Sir Jacob Astley, Knight, and Baronet. 52. Brightwel in the County of Suffolk, the Seat of the Hon. Sir Samuel Barnardiston, Baronet. 53. Newby the Seat of the Hon. Sir Edward Blackett, Baronet in the West Riding of the County of Yorke. 54. The Seat of Sir William Blackett, Baronet with part of the Town of Newcastle upon Tyne. 55. Haigh in the County Palatine of Lancaster, the Seat of Sir Roger Bradshaigh, Baronett. 56. Spotborough near Doncaster in the County of Yorke, one of the Seats of the Hon. Sir Godfrey Copley, Baronet. 57. Maddingley the Seat of John Cotton Baronet, within two miles of Cambridge. 58. Hatley St. George, the Seat of the Hon. Sir Robert Cotton in Cambridgeshire. 59. Hutton Hall, the Seat of the Hon. George Fletcher, Baronet in the County of Cumberland. 60. Ingleby Mannor, the Seat of the Hon. Sir William Foulis, Baronet in the County of Yorke. 61. Great Ribston the Seat of the Rt. Hon. Sir Henry Goodricke, Knight & Baronet... 62. Eaton Hall on the River Dee near the Citty of Chester in Cheshire: the Seat of the Hon. Sir Thomas Grosvenor, Baronet. 63. Doddington in the County of Lincolne, the Seate of the Hon. Sir Thomas Hulsey, Baronet. 64. Aclam in Cleveland in the County of Yorke, the Seat of the Hon. Sir William Hustler, Knight. 65. Westwood in Worcestershire, the Seat of the Hon. Sir John Pakington, Baronet. 66. Brympton, in Somersetshire, the Seat of the Hon. Sir Philip Sydenham. 67. Folkington, the Seate of the Hon. Sir William Thomas, Baronett in the County of Sussex. 68. Wollaton Hall in the County of Nottingham, the Seat of the Hon. Sir Thomas Willoughby, Baronett. 69. Constable Burton in the North Rideing of Yorkshire the Seat of the Hon. Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, Baronett. 70. The Seat of William Chaloner Esq of Gisebrough in Cleveland in the County of Yorke. 71. Ragly in the County of Warwik the Seat of Popham Conway Esq. 72. Esher Place in the County of Surry the Seat of Thomas Cotton Esq & Philadelphia his Wife, Daughter, and Heiress of his Excellency Sir Thomas Lynck, Knight, Late Governor of Jamaica. 73. Swillington in the West Rideing of Yorkshire the Seat of William Lowther Esq. 74. Southwick in the County of Southampton the Seat of Richard Norton Esq. 75. The Prospect of Nottingham, from the East. 76. Orchard Portman in Somersetshire, one of the Seats of Henry Portman Esq. 77. Bryanstone in Dorsetshire, one of the Seats of Henry Portman Esq. 78. Whixley in the West Rideing of Yorkshire the Seate of Christopher Tancred Esq. 79. Charles Turner Esq, his Seat at Kirkleatham in Cleveland in the County of Yorke within two Miles of the Sea. 80. Coley, near Reading in the County of Berks, the Seat of Tanfield Vachell Esq.