Rare and Unusual Books

Published: London, Henry G Bohn,
Date: (1820), 1836, 4th ed, greatly improved.
Description: Elaborate pictoral title-page, xi, 20pp 96 plates. Original plum morocco backed green boards with gilt lettering, plum morocco label on front cover, 31x25. Front end paper a little creased, small scuff on cover and faint rubbing to spine, minor foxing, a good copy with excellent fresh plates.
Notes: A series of 20 designs, with estimates of cost. Each design has a page of description, followed by a plan and various elevations and perspectives. These include almshouses, ‘residencies’, a boat house, farmhouse, parsonage etc, as well as cottages. The work was much used by architects of the time as a pattern book, including in the construction of model estate villages. It was very popular and Robinson had the plates completely re-drawn for this new edition. Robinson’s style is highly picturesque with irregular plans and elevations and Tudor ornamentation. He was interested in traditional vernacular architecture and in the preface he laments its neglect in contemporary society.
ISBN:
Price: £375.00