Vitruvius Britannicus. - History Of Woburn Abbey: Illustrated By Plans, Elevations, And Internal Views Of The Apartments, From Actual Measurement. - By P.F. Robinson, Architect, F.S.A. And F.G.S. -
London:: Printed For The Author, And Published By J.And A. Arch, Cornhill; Longman And Co. Paternoster Row; Molteno And Co. Pall Mall; Priestley And Weale, High Street, Bloomsbury; Pickering, Chancery Lane; Rodwell, New Bond Street; And Williams, Charles Street, Soho. -, MDCCCXXXIII.
Some copies lack the Prospectus and list of Subscribers (p. '3, [1]').
Contents
[T.p., engr. dedic.] - New Vitruvius Britannicus ... Prospectus ... (March 1, 1833) - Subscribers To The Vitruvius Britannicus - [Text] - [Plates].
Responsibility Note
Plates 2-4, 6, 8, are signed as drawn by J.G. Jackson; plates 5, 7 as drawn by J. Sanders and J.G. Jackson; pl. 1 as drawn by J.D. Harding. They are signed as engraved by W. Radclyffe, J. Le Keux, H. Le Keux, H. Moses or J. Roffe. The engraved dedication is unsigned.
Each plate, as well as the engraved dedication, carries the publisher's imprint of Jas. Carpenter (and the date of May 1827).
The headpiece is signed as designed by T. Willement and engraved by J. Roffe; the tailpiece, as engraved by J. Roffe.
The printer is named on the title-page verso: 'Printed By C. Whittingham, Chiswick.'
The work is dedicated by P.F. Robinson to John, Duke and Earl of Bedford.
References
Royal Institute of British Architects, British Architectural Library ... Early printed books, 3 (1999), no. 2819, p. 1674-5; M. Holmes, The country house described (1986), p. 275; J. Archer, The literature of British domestic architecture 1715-1842 (1985), no. 298.2
Summary Note
The work had first been published in 1827, as the first part of Robinson's series of monographs, 'Vitruvius Britannicus'; and the plates all carry the date of May 1827.
It describes Woburn Abbey, remodelled for the fourth duke of Bedford by Henry Flitcroft in 1747, and for the sixth Duke by Henry Holland in the 1780s. The text consists of 'History Of Woburn Abbey', 'General Catalogue Of The Paintings At Woburn Abbey' and 'General Catalogue Of The Marbles And Other Works In Sculpture At Woburn Abbey'.
The plates are unnumbered and are bound in in different order in different copies. In the Royal Academy's copy they are in the order: [1] a view of the house from the park; [2] 'The Library'; [3] 'The Portrait Gallery'; [4] 'The Sculpture Gallery'; [5] 'Plan Of The Principal Story'; [6] 'General Plan'; [7] 'Elevation Of The West Front'; [8] 'Exterior Of The Sculpture Gallery'. Six of the plates are pasted in. A headpiece to the 'History' shows the Bedford arms; a tailpiece to the 'General Catalogue Of The Marbles' shows 'The Bedford Vase'.
Provenance
The front pastedown carries the 19th-century armorial bookplate of 'Frances Mary Richardson Currer'.
Copy Note
The verso of the front loose endpaper is stamped, 'Bound By J. Mackenzie'.
Binding Note
19th-century half green morocco, marbled-papered boards; spine lettered 'Vitruvius Britannicus - Robinson.' Bound with two others.
Architecture - Interior decoration - Country Houses - Great Britain - Bedfordshire - Woburn Abbey - History
Collections - Great Britain - 18th century - 19th century
Views - Plans - Elevations - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 19th century