Architecture, Scenery Prints

   Colin Campbell was a Scottish-born architect. He was famous for publishing an influential work of architecture of the Georgian era in England. Vitruvius Britannicus exemplified the classic style of the Roman architectural author, Vitruvius, and Campbell's work displays the master building work of the seventeenth century English architect, Inigo Jones and the sixteenth-century Italian architect, Andrea Palladio among others.

The engravings  initially completed in 1725 are of very high quality, depicting a wide range of prominent building throughout Great Britain. The portfolio of architectural renderings includes the grand estates of the nobility and government buildings. 

There are large engraved illustrations, plans and sections of palaces, country houses, government offices and churches designed by architects from Inigo Jones, Palladio, Wren and Vanbrugh and of Campbell's own designs.  

  McKim, Mead and White is a noted architectural firm. At the turn of the twentieth century they were famous designers for many major government, educational, commercial and residential buildings. This includes plans for Columbia University, Harvard University, Interborough Rapid Transit, Kickerbocker Trust Co, Bank of Montreal, Woodlawn Cemetery, Naugatuck High School, Naugatuck Congressional Church, Residence of T. Jefferson College, Pennsylvania Railroad Station (New York City); Columbia University; Girard Trust Co. Building, Harvard Club, Boston Public Library, University of Virginia, Cullum Memorial (West Point), University Club (New York City), Harvard Union, etc.

The architectural renderings are highly collectible and with mats and frames used in wall decoration in many homes and offices

   The Manual of the Common Council of New York by D.T. Valentine 1841-1870 was an annual history of New York each year from 1842-1870 including historic reference to its past: It was published by various printers

A complete run of Valentine's Manual is a source of maps, engravings and information about the growing city during the 19th century. It included maps, lithographs and woodcuts, and contained many statistical tables, lists of social institutions, banks, schools, churches etc. The earliest volumes, printed in a small format from 1842-1848, are scarce. No volume was published in 1867.

The volumes are considered to be the first illustrated histories of New York City. Valentine published the volumes from 1841 until his death in 1866. For the next three years the manuals were published by Joseph Shannon in 1868 and 1869 and in 1870 by John Henry.

Moses King began to chronicle New York in the late 1890s with his illustrated views of New   York becoming a leading business and cultural center. The photogravures of the city are by noted photographer Irving Underhilland include images of major buildings, churches, banks, institutions, universities, bridges and parks, along with expansive views and panoramic views.

The historical illustrations of New York are highly collectible and with mats and frames used in wall decoration in many homes and offices.

    American Scenery: or Land, Lake, and River Illustrations of Transatlantic Nature prints were engraved by William Henry Bartlett (1809-1854). Bartlett was a British landscape artist famous for his views of all parts of the world. The American Scenery prints were first issued in a series of parts running to November 1839. 

Bartlett made several trips to the United States to gather sketches for American Scenery. This series of historical prints of the natural wonders, architectural monuments and city landmarks captures the look and feel of the United States in the 1830s. 

 The architect Andrea Palladio was an influential figure in architecture. Palladian is a recognized architectural term stands for classic symmetry and perfection. His treatise I quattro libri dell'architettura (The Four Books on Architecture) is recognized as one of most important books in the field of architecture. It was first published in Italian in 1570 and has been translated into major Western language. The plates started the hugely influential Palladian movement which dominated early 18th century architecture in Great Britain and also America.

This is the first English translation of Palladio by Issac Ware in over 250 years. The plates are reverse productions on copper of the original woodcuts of 1570. The unsigned plates are by Ware.