Pyne, William Henry

3 volumes, 4to (13 3/4 x 11 in.; 335 x 280mm). Half-titles, 100 hand-colored aquatint plates after C. Wild, J. Stephanoff, R. Cattermole, W. Westall and G. Samuel, engraved by T. Sutherland, W. J. Bennett, R. Reeve, D. Havell, and J. Bailey; some foxing throughout, some offsetting, "Queen Mary's State Bed-chamber" (vol. II) backed with linen with expert repairs to margins, "Staircase. Buckingham House" (vol. II) with repairs to closed marginal tear. Contemporary red calf, gilt rules to covers, spines with raised bands in six compartments, gilt text to second, third, and fourth, others with repeat overall gilt vine and leaf pattern, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt; corners bumped with some loss to calf, some rubbing to extremities.

Abbey, 'Scenery' 396

3 volumes, 4to (13 3/4 x 11 in.; 335 x 280mm). Half-titles, 100 hand-colored aquatint plates after C. Wild, J. Stephanoff, R. Cattermole, W. Westall and G. Samuel, engraved by T. Sutherland, W. J. Bennett, R. Reeve, D. Havell, and J. Bailey; some foxing throughout, some offsetting, "Queen Mary's State Bed-chamber" (vol. II) backed with linen with expert repairs to margins, "Staircase. Buckingham House" (vol. II) with repairs to closed marginal tear. Contemporary red calf, gilt rules to covers, spines with raised bands in six compartments, gilt text to second, third, and fourth, others with repeat overall gilt vine and leaf pattern, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt; corners bumped with some loss to calf, some rubbing to extremities.
The lot is sold in the condition it is in at the time of sale. The condition report is provided to assist you with assessing the condition of the lot and is for guidance only. Any reference to condition in the condition report for the lot does not amount to a full description of condition. The images of the lot form part of the condition report for the lot provided by Sotheby's. Certain images of the lot provided online may not accurately reflect the actual condition of the lot. In particular, the online images may represent colours and shades which are different to the lot's actual colour and shades. The condition report for the lot may make reference to particular imperfections of the lot but you should note that the lot may have other faults not expressly referred to in the condition report for the lot or shown in the online images of the lot. The condition report may not refer to all faults, restoration, alteration or adaptation because Sotheby's is not a professional conservator or restorer but rather the condition report is a statement of opinion genuinely held by Sotheby's. For that reason, Sotheby's condition report is not an alternative to taking your own professional advice regarding the condition of the lot.

First edition, large paper copy, with strikingly colorful plates.One of Ackermann's most important collaborators, William Henry Pyne (1769-1843) "became connected with Ackermann about 1803, and came by degrees to occupy himself more with writing than painting, providing the text or part of it for many of Ackermann's publications. It is not perhaps surprising that, being himself designer, painter, engraver and author, he should become enamoured of book production. His great effort in this direction was the large and costly work entitles 'The History of the Royal Residences ...' undoubtedly a very sumptuous book for which author, artist, engraver and publisher alike did their best" (Prideaux, pp. 142-43).