Aedes Althorpianae; Or An Account Of The Mansion, Books, And Pictures, At Althorp; The Residence Of George John Earl Spencer, K.G. To Which Is Added A Supplement To The Bibliotheca Spenceriana. By The Rev. Thomas Frognall Dibdin, F.R.S. S.A. Librarian To His Lordship.
Account Of The Mansion, Books, And Pictures, At Althorp
Supplement To The Bibliotheca Spenceriana
Bibliotheca Spenceriana
Imprint
London:: Printed By W. Nicol, Successor To W. Bulmer And Co. Shakspeare Press, And Sold By Payne And Foss, Longman, Hurst And Co. J. And A. Arch, R.H. Evans, R. Triphook, And John Major., 1822.
Physical Description
2 vols.; 264 mm. (Octavo.)
General Note
Vol. I: viii, [iv], lxii, 279, [1] p., frontis. (port.), [31] pl. (one fold.): [6] illus. The plate listed in the 'List Of Plates' as facing page lxii consists of two small prints pasted in. The last plate listed in the 'List Of Plates' is described as 'to face the title-page of Vol.II', but is bound in among the 31 pl. of Vol. I. - Vol. II:[4], 322 p.: illus.
Contents
Vol. I: [Frontis., t.p.] - Preface - Contents; Errata; Addition - List Of Plates To Volume I - [Text, with pl.]; [colophon]. - Vol. II: [T.p.] - Errata In Vol. II - [Text, with illus.]; [colophon].
Responsibility Note
Most of the plates of Volume I carry the name of a draughtsman, and all except the folding plan of Althorp carry the name of an engraver. The draughtsmen were E. Blore, T. Uwins and R.W. Satchwell (in one case written as S.W. Satchwell). The engravers were W. Finden, W. Woolnoth, W. Skelton, Bocquet, C. Picart, M.S. Bavenger, Thompson, J. Fittler, Worthington, J. Mitan, Edwd. Scriven, W.T. Fry, S. Freeman, W. Holl, T. Wright, I.H. Robinson, I. Scott. Of the six in-text illustrations of Volume I one is signed by the draughtsman G. Lewis, and the six are signed by their engravers, P. Audinet, Geo. Cooke, M.S. Barenger, I. Scott and Hesse. The numerous in-text illustrations of Volume II are unsigned, apart from one, which carries the name of the engraver S.F. Freeman.
Most plates carry the imprint, 'Published for Rev. T.F. Dibdin' and 'Printed by Lahee'.
The colophons of both volumes repeat the name of the printer, W. Nicol.
References
D.A. Stoker, 'Thomas Frognall Dibdin', in Nineteenth-century British book-collectors and bibliographers, ed. W. Baker and K. Womack (1997), p.69-80; A. Lister, 'The Althorp library of second Earl Spencer, now in the John Ryland University Library of Manchester: its formation and growth', in Bulletin of the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 71:2 (1989), p.67-86; A. Lister, 'George John, 2nd earl Spencer and his "librarian", Thomas Frognall Dibdin', in Bibliophily, ed. R. Myers and M. Morris (1986); E.J. O'Dwyer, Thomas Frognall Dibdin, bibliographer and bibliomaniac extraordinary, 1776-1847 (1967).
Summary Note
The second volume has a distinct title: 'Supplement To The Bibliotheca Spenceriana; Or A Descriptive Catalogue Of The Books Printed In The Fifteenth Century, In The Library Of George John Earl Spencer, K.G. By The Rev. Thomas Frognall Dibdin, F.R.S. S.A. Librarian To His Lordship'.
Publication-dates are carried by most plates in Volume I. Most are dated 1822; but one carries the date 1821, and eleven that of 1820.
The text of the first volume consists of short accounts of 'The Proprietors Of Althorp' and of the hall, dining room, drawing room, library, staircase, picture gallery and bedrooms of the house, describing their pictures. But the greater part of the volume (p.37-236) is an account of the contents of the library. Volume II consists entirely of a bibliography of fifteenth-century books. It is a supplement to Dibdin's Bibliotheca Spenceriana (4 v., 1814-15).
Of the plates in Volume I one is a folding plan of Althorp, four show external and interior views of the house, five reproduce paintings in the collection (from originals by Anguisciola, Cuyp, Raphael, Polenburg and Rembrandt), and the rest reproduce family portraits (from originals by T. Phillips, P. Lely, A. Kauffman, Dobson, G. Kneller, C. Jansen, J. Reynolds and A. More). The in-text illustrations show more views and reproductions of paintings. The numerous illustrations of Volume II show passages of text and illustrations (mostly woodcuts) of fifteenth-century books.
Binding Note
19th-century brown morocco, upper and lower covers carrying gilt borders; gilt-decorated spines, lettered 'Dibdin's Aedes Althorpianae Vol. I. (II.)', 'R.A.' and 'MDCCCXXII.'
Pictures - Books
Collections - Libraries - Country Houses - Great Britain - Northamptonshire - Althorp - History - 19th century
Catalogues - Bibliographies - Guidebooks - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 19th century