Charnock, John | First edition of "The most authoritative book on 18th-century ship-building published in England" (Abbey)

Charnock, John

An History of Marine Architecture...of all Nations. London: For R. Fauldner, [et al.], 1800-1802

3 volumes, 4to (295 x 235 mm). Additional engraved title in Vol. I, 99 aquatint or engraved plates, some of which folding, after Van de Velde and others; some foxing and offsetting. Full blue-green straight grain morocco, decoratively ruled and tooled in gilt and bind, central armorial device in gilt to each cover, all edges gilt, spines with wide raised bands in six compartments, bands gilt-lettered, compartments with repeat decoration in gilt, turn-ins decoratively gilt, striped watered silk endleaves; extremities rubbed with occasional loss of morocco, restoration to joints, upper joint of Vol. I weak.  

First edition of "The most authoritative book on eighteenth-century ship-building published in England" (Abbey).

Christopher Turnor, to whom these volumes belonged, was an English politician, who sat in the House of Commons from 1841 to 1847. He was also a great promoter of Lincolnshire architecture. Stoke Rochford Hall (now a hotel), was designed by architect William Burn for Turnor. In 1940, the house was requisitioned by the War Office, and it was in the library of Stoke Rochford that the 1944 Arnhem 'drop' was planned.

REFERENCE

Abbey, Life 331; English Maritime Books 337; ESTC T11210

PROVENANCE

Christopher Turnor (his Stoke Richford Library armorial bookplates to front pastedowns)