The Town and Country Builder's Assistant
- Used
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very Good +
- Seller
-
Waccabuc, New York, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Boston: John Norman, 1786. Full leather. Very Good +. The 1786 1st edition of "the first contribution to the field of architecture compiled in America. After issuing the 1st American edition of Swan's The British Architect, the publisher, John Norman, came to Boston and published this work, compiled from various English sources, containing 60 plates depicting interior and exterior designs from homes and public buildings. 'In its house plans and details this collection more nearly approaches the needs of the average well-to-do man than the more ambitious reprint of The British Architect' (AAS). The frontispiece is from Isaac Ware's 1756 'The Complete Body of Architecture' and other content is drawn from the works of Batty Langley and other pattern book authors. Born in England, Norman describes himself in the subtitle of this work as a 'lover of architecture' but he never seems to have practiced as one, working primarily as an engraver and publisher" (Christie's, 2022). Only 3 complete copies are recorded at auction in the last 50 years, including the copy from the William Reese Collection, sold at Christie's (New York) in June of 2022. (Evans 20027; Hitchcock 856; see "The Colonial Sceneâ1602-1800," in Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society [April 1950], p. 74). Folio, engraved allegorical frontispiece and 60 engraved plates. Beautifully rebound in a full plum morocco --and signed in gilt at the front pastedown-- by Rene Kieffer of Paris within the last 50 to 75 years. Matching marbled endpapers and pastedowns as well, with lovely decorative gilt-bordering. Also includes a lime-green, custom printed slipcase, with bright gilt-titling and bordering --and decorative flouishes-- along the spine. Some wear at the bottom-edge but still sturdy and very presentable.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Appledore Books, ABAA (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 21956
- Title
- The Town and Country Builder's Assistant
- Format/Binding
- Full leather
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good +
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- John Norman
- Place of Publication
- Boston
- Date Published
- 1786
- Keywords
- rare architecture, rare 18th century architecture
- Bookseller catalogs
- Architecture;
Terms of Sale
Appledore Books, ABAA
All books are offered subject to prior sale. Materials are returnable within 1 week of receipt provided prior notice is given.
About the Seller
Appledore Books, ABAA
Biblio member since 2005
Waccabuc, New York
About Appledore Books, ABAA
Buy and sell - rare, unusual and antiquarian - art, photography, literature, scholarly, sports, childrens, bindings.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Rebound
- A book in which the pages have been bound into a covering replacing the original covering issued by the publisher.
- Reprint
- Any printing of a book which follows the original edition. By definition, a reprint is not a first edition.
- Folio
- A folio usually indicates a large book size of 15" in height or larger when used in the context of a book description. Further,...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...