The Architectural Antiquities of Wales.

London: Duke Street, Portland Place: John Booth, 1810. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Near Fine. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. NORRIS Charles. 24 Architectural illustrations The first three parts, all published, of an ambitiously planned publication 1810, Rare, Near Fine, oblong folio, 3 parts in 1, [4], + errata slip, viii, 18 B&W plates depicting 24 illustrations, along with 17 pp of descriptive text (includes 9 pp typescript), in early 20c morocco cloth, gilt edge tooling, spine title, with the original front printed wrappers for each of the three parts bound in at end (each has proof written in ink in a contemporary hand beneath the printed imprint). The text of the second part is supplied in early twentieth century typescript. Some light spotting on the plates, and a paper fault in the lower blank margin of plate 3 of the first part,, a few short very minor margin edge cuts, printed by William Savage, Bedford Bury. Issued in parts 1810-11. (420*282 mm). The first three parts, all published, of an ambitiously planned publication by the amateur artist Charles Norris, who after an education at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, had settled at Tenby in Pembrokeshire. Norris's intention had been to issue between four and six parts of his publication each year, with the eventual aim of covering the whole of Wales, but these three parts, devoted to the cathedral and medieval bishops palace at St. David's, were all that appeared. Although the publication was a failure financially, great care was taken with the engraving of the plates, and the volume incorporates a dedication to the Prince of Wales (the future King George IV) and a lengthy preface in which Norris explains his intentions and offers his personal opinions about architecture. After the abandonment of Norris's original publication plans in early 1811, his text and engravings were reissued later in the same year with a new title leaf as the Antiquities of St David's. Today the book seems to be extremely scarce in its original part published version, for although there is a copy in the British Library, there is no copy in the British Architectural Library, no copy was reported to NUC and no copy ever seems to have been listed in Book Auction records. The present copy has the text to the second of the three parts supplied in early twentieth century typescript, but by way of compensation it does contain the original front printed wrappers for each of the three parts.