Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 21

History of the Abbey Church of St. Peter's Westminster by R. Ackermann & W.Combe

About the Item

Ackermann, Rudolph and William Combe (text). The History of the Abbey Church of St. Peter's Westminster; Its Antiquities and Monuments. London: R. Ackermann, 1812. First Edition, second issue. In Two volumes, large 4to; 12 3/4 x 10 3/4 in. (325 x 272 mm), with all 83 plates, 81 of which are colored aquatints by J.Bluck, J.Hamble, T.Sutherland and others, after A.Pugin, F.Mackenzie, H.Villiers, T.Uwins, &c. Includes the half-titles; list of subscribers and arrangement of plates. Vol. 1 pp. xx + 330 + vi index, and 4 plates–2 colored aquatint plates and 2 uncolored engravings of a) floorpan b) portrait of William Vincent, Dean of Westminster opposite the dedication page. Vol. 2 pp. 275 +iv index, 79 colored aquatints. Hands binding in navy crushed morocco by Doverley and Sons, with gilt fillets and decorations on cover, scrolls on turn-ins. Spine gilt with decorations and floral patterns, gilt title and date, 5 double raised bands with four red bands; gilt decorations on edges, marbled end-papers, a.e.g. Some light offset from the plates and foxing only on the letterpress for one gathering towards the end of Vol. 2, not affecting the plates. This is the second issue, with the plate Aymer de Valence" signed "A. Pugin del't" and not the first state of the plate signed in error "F. Mackenzie" (Abbey Scenery 213 & 214). In our copy this plate is bound at the beginning of the Vol. 1, and not in Vol.2 as indicated in the arrangement of plates sheet. [Abbey Scenery 213; Tooley 2; Prideaux p. 124-125; Lowndes vol. 7, p. 2889] Near fine. A very handsome set with many brightly-colored aquatints. In the introduction of the book the author writes: "The Collegiate Church of Westminster may, without fear of contradiction, be considered as one of the most interesting edifices in the British Empire." After the success of The Microcosm of London (1808-1810) Ackerman took on the project of a two-volume work on Westminster, which was first published in sixteen monthly numbers and issued in 2 volumes in 1812. “… Ackermann had issued his History of Westminster Abbey (1812), and when complete, he had all the original drawings for the seventy plates which had been made by Aug. Pugin, Fred Mackenzie, H. Villiers, G. Shepherd, Thompson, T. Unwin, and W. J. White, bound up with the letterpress printed on vellum, making a unique copy. Mr Papworth prepared a special design, with Gothic details, for the brass mountings and clasps for the two volumes, which cost £120. This copy Ackermann valued so highly that he used to provide a pair of white kid gloves for the use of the person to whom was granted the favour of inspecting it. He sent a copy of the book to Mr Papworth inscribed with his sincere regards and a draft for £50." [Prideaux, S. T. Aquatint Engraving; A Chapter in the History of Book Illustration. London, Duckworth & Co., 1909. p.123. According to Tooley this vellum copy with its original drawings may be see in a glass case at Westminster Abbey. [English Books with Coloured Plates; London: Bratsford, 1954; p. 7] RUDOLPH ACKERMANN (1764 – 1834) was an German-born bookseller, inventor, lithographer, publisher and businessman. He moved to Paris at a young age and settled in London at 23. In 1795 he established a print-shop and drawing-school on the Strand, very close to the Royal Academy of Arts and his business quickly expanded and flourished. As a publisher Ackermann was both creative and efficient, bringing to the commercial production of color plate books innovative techniques and an uncompromising attention to detail which ensured uniform high quality (ODNB). He was also an innovator in carriage design and was an early adopter and promoter of gas lighting. WILLIAM COMBE (1742 – 1823) was a British writer best known as the author of The Three Tours of Doctor Syntax, a comic poem, illustrated by artist Thomas Rowlandson's color plates. He also wrote the texts for various illustrated books, including Oxford, Cambridge and Westminster published by Ackermann.
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 12.75 in (32.39 cm)Width: 10.75 in (27.31 cm)Depth: 3 in (7.62 cm)
  • Sold As:
    Set of 2
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1812
  • Condition:
    Wear consistent with age and use.
  • Seller Location:
    Middletown, NY
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: BH5971stDibs: LU8340233449032

More From This Seller

View All
Keating, William. Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River
Located in Middletown, NY
Keating William H Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St Peter's River Lake Winnipeek Lake of the Woods &C Performed in the Year 1823 by Order of the Hon J C Calhoun Secretary of War Under the Command of Stephen H Long U S T E London, Geo B Whittaker, 1825. First English Edition Two volumes 8vo 8 3/4 x 5 1/2 inches, 220 x 140 mm. Vol. 1 pp. xvi, 458; Vol. 2 pp. vi, 248, 156, Appendix. Contemporary half calf with marbled boards; five raised bands, gilt rules, decorative motifs, and title on black morocco label spine; hinges and edges rubbed; front hinge of Volume 1 cracked internally; t .e. g., rest uncut. Pages are bright and bindings tight, light foxing on a few pages and typical offset opposite plates. Vol. 1 includes 3 copper engravings etched by R Fenner, a large folded map 12 3/8 x 21 in / 313 x 534 mm, engraved by R Penny. Two-inch tear to one fold, otherwise solid and some offset; and a page of sheet music with "Dog Dance of the Sioux" and "Chippewa Scalp Dance" Map of the Country Embracing the Oute of the Expedition of 1823, Commanded by Major S H Long. Vol. 2 includes four engravings by R Fenner, 2 of waterfalls and 2 of shells, plus three fold-out calendars and a 9-page "Vocabulary of Indian Languages" in the Appendix. Bookplate of William B Claflin Jr in both volumes with ink inscription "Legacy Grace E Reed Dec 20 1921" (Sabin 37137; Howes 5570; Field 949) The book is dedicated to James Monroe, 4th President of the United States, and its outstanding plates depict Native Americans their environment and customs. "The work is almost a cyclopædia of material relating to the Indians of the explored Territory Nothing escaped the attention or record of the gentlemen who accompanied the expedition and their statement regarding the customs character and numbers of the Sioux and Chippeway tribes are among the most valuable we have of those people Six of the plates are representations of their practices habitations or features includes comparative vocabulary of the Sawk Sioux Chippeway and Cree languages. – Thomas W Field...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Books

Materials

Leather, Paper

The English Dance of Death - by Wm. Combe - Th. Rowlandson illustr.
Located in Middletown, NY
Rowlandson,Thomas & Combe, William The English Dance of Death; in Twenty-Four Monthly Numbers, from the designs of Thomas Rowlandson accompanied by metrical illustrations by the author of "Doctor Syntax...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Books

Materials

Gold Leaf

The Dance of Life a Poem; by Wm. Combe, Th. Rowlandson illustr. - FIRST ed.
Located in Middletown, NY
The Dance of Life, a Poem; by the author of "Doctor Syntax" William Combe & Thomas Rowlandson illustrations. London: R. Ackermann, 1817. FIRST EDITION. ...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Books

Materials

Gold Leaf

Picturesque Tour of the Seine, from Paris to the Sea / Ackermann, First Edition
Located in Middletown, NY
One of the great 19th-century English color plate books illustrating the scenery along the Seine. Sauvan, Jean Baptiste Balthazar. Picturesque Tour of the Seine, from Paris to the Sea; with Particulars Historical and Descriptive. London: R. Ackermann, 1821. First Edition. 4to, 13 1/2 x 11 (343 x 280 mm), pp. x, 177, title vignette and 24 hand colored aquatints, map. Later three-quarter yellow levant morocco with fillets, spine decorated in gilt with 5 raised bands and black title label; marbled boards and endpapers, a.e.g.. Spine and boards in very good condition, binding tight and square, text and plates with very occasional spotting. [Abbey, Travel 90; Tooley 445; Bobins, Exotic and the Beautiful II: 548] Condition: Near fine. This is a first printing of one of the great nineteenth-century English color plate books illustrating the scenery along the Seine from Paris to Le Havre. Luminous impressions of the plates, beautifully hand-colored. Engraved by Thomas Sutherland (1785 – 1825) and Daniel Havell (1785 – 1826) from sketches and drawings by Augustus Pugin (1812 – 1852) and John Gendall (1790 – 1865), the illustrations also include a vignette on the title page representing the Château de Rosny (home of the Duchess of Berry...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century English Books

Materials

Leather, Paper

The History of the Crusades for the Recovery and Possession of the Holy Land
Located in Middletown, NY
Charles Baudelaire: Souvenirs, Correspondances, Bibliographie, suivie de pièces inédites Paris: René Pincebourde, 1872. FIRST LIMITED EDITION - EXTRA ILLUSTRATED Small 8vo 8 12 x 5...
Category

Antique Early 19th Century French Books

Materials

Gold Leaf

Half Hours by J. M. Barrie, the creator of PETER PAN
Located in Middletown, NY
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914. FIRST EDITION Small 8vo., 7 3/8 x 5 inches (188 x 127 mm), pp. vi + 207. Beautiful red calf binding Red calf binding by Root & Son, with gold fill...
Category

Early 20th Century English Books

Materials

Gold Leaf

You May Also Like

Rare Antique Print of the Famous Westminster Abbey, London, England, C.1800
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique print titled 'An ancient View of St. James's (..)'. Old print of Westminster, the old Westminster Abbey in the centre, with St James's Palace on the right. Westminster Abb...
Category

Antique 18th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

19th C Grand Tour Painting on Porcelain View of Vatican/St. Peter's Basilica
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th century Grand Tour Painting on Porcelain View of Vatican/St. Peter's Basilica Italy, circa 1880s Standing in rectangular gilt bronze engraved frame with applied stylized flo...
Category

Antique Late 19th Century Grand Tour Historical Memorabilia

Materials

Bronze

St. Peter Cathedral Church Souvenir Building Vintage, Italy, Rome, 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A 1960s souvenir building architectural model. Some wear with a nice patina, but this is old-age. Made of metal. A beautiful nice desktop item or just a display item in your collecti...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Historical Memorabilia

Materials

Metal

Antique Canvas Depicting 'The Preaching of St. Peter'
Located in Milano, IT
Beautiful framed wooden canvas from the end of the 19th century. The reference narrative is the one found in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:14-42) in which Saint Peter starts pre...
Category

Antique Early 1900s Italian Romantic Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Wood

American Louvre A History of the Renwick Gallery Building 1st Ed
Located in valatie, NY
American Louvre: A History of the Renwick Gallery Building by Charles J Robertson. D Giles Ltd. London 2015. 1st Ed softcover. Designed by James Renwick Jr. in 1858, the building tha...
Category

2010s English Books

Materials

Paper

History of Postmodern Architecture 1st Edition
By Heinrich Klotz
Located in valatie, NY
The history of Postmodern Architecture by Heinrich Klotz. Cambridge MA; The MIT Press, 1988. This first standard work on the past 25 years in postmodern architecture documents the ri...
Category

Vintage 1980s American Books

Materials

Paper

Recently Viewed

View All