The Seven Lamps of Architecture
Smith, Elder, & Co., 1849.
First edition. 4to. Finely bound, by Douglas Cockerell for the W.H.Smith family, in full green morocco with gilt ruled borders to covers and elaborate gilt tooling of intertwining branches and leaves incorporated into the border, with red morocco onlays of blossoms. Hambleden vignette, of an arm grasping an oak branch surrounded by a wreath, in the centre of the covers. Raised bands to the spine with gilt titles and simplified gilt leaf red morocco onlay design to compartments. Wide morocco turn-ins with gilt ruled borders and simple three point motif punched in gilt to corners. Top edge gilt. Original cloth bound in at rear. Fourteen engraved plates after sketches by Ruskin. A fine copy with a little foxing to the preliminary pages, but generally fresh. An excellent copy of a sumptuous binding.
Although curiously unsigned by the W.H.Smith bindery, for whom Cockerell was controller at the time, it is known that all the Hambleden library's binding at the time was undertaken by the W.H.Smith bindery and the important and elaborate works by Cockerell himself. The binding bears a number of the hallmarks characteristic of Cockerell's design.
PROVENANCE: W.H.Smith, 3rd Viscount Hambleden (bookplate to front pastedown).
Stock ID: 31420
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