Author: BRITTON, John (editor)
Title: Pugin and le Keux's Specimens of the Architectural Antiquities of Normandy. / Historical and Descriptive Essays Accompanying a Series of Engraved Specimens of the Architectural Antiquities of Normandy
Description: London, J. Britton, 1827. Hardcover. 4to. Quarter green morroco with gilt spine lettering and compartments and green textured cloth. x, 40pp, (ca. 200pp rectos-only heavy stock architectural plates). Engraved title page. Very good. Binding lightly edgeworn and a bit scuffed and rubbed; text block tight and nice, with mild age toning throughout and occasional light foxing. First edition of these superb engravings by Augustus Pugin and John and Henry Le Leux. Engraved title page for "Pugin and Le Keux's Specimens of the Architectural Antiquities of Normandy" (1827) is followed by the title page for "Historical and Descriptive Essays Accompanying a Series of Engraved Speciments of the Architectural Antiquities of Normandy" (1828), followed by Britton's 40pp essay and then the large offering of engraved plates. On page xiv of the introduction, an early owner (presumably architect E.F.C. Clarke) pencils "Well said! the 'acute critic'!" alongside the text and along bottom margin pencils a delightful caricature of a crusty, bald elderly man with pointed ears holding up a book to his face with one hand and spectacles to his eyes with the other, titling it beneath "The 'Acute Critic.'" Two full-page plates near rear, illustrating varieties of stained glas, are brightly and handsomely hand colored (presumably as issued). Inner flyleaf bears intriguing nonauthorial gift inscription to "E.F.C. Clarke / from / J. De La Condamine / Leith." Clarke (1843-1904) was a British church architect, but the identity of De La Condamine remains unknown. Britton (1771-1857) was a well-known British author, editor and antiquary remembered for such multi-volume titles as "The Beauties of England and Wales," "Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain" and "Cathedral Antiquities of England." Front pastedown bears small bookplate of Chicago architectural publisher G. Broes Van Dort Co. Decent copy of this scarce title. .

Keywords: Architecture


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