Microcosm of London..

Text by William Combe.

Vol 1 printed by L. Harrison, vols. 2 and 3 printed by Harrison and Rutter.

Plates signed: Rowlandson and Pugin. Engraved dedication signed: Thos. Tomkins script. Robt Ashby sculpt.

Each vol. has individual wood engraved t.p. with architectural design, and engraved dedication page to H.R.H Highness the Prince of Wales. Aquatint illustrations throughout volumes.

Text appears on t.p. as: R. Ackermann's Repos[itor]y of Arts no. 101 Strand. Microcosm of London. Part of the word "repository" is obscured by the British royal coat of arms.

Text of vol. 1 printed on wove paper watermarked "J Whatman 1808" (t.p. only), "J Whatman 1805", "L & D 1807". Text of v. 2 and v. 3 printed on paper watermarked "L & D 1807"

Errata on final p. of v. 3.

Vol. 1: iv, 231, [1] p., [2], 32 leaves of plates ; v. 2: vi, [2], 239, [1] p., [1], 33-64 leaves of plates ; v. 3: iv, [2], 280, [6] p., [1], 65-89 leaves of plates.

Includes index (v. 3).

Tooley, R. V. Coloured plates (1979 ed.), p. 20-25

The Alexander Turnbull Library SPC copy shows evidence of mixed states (cf. Tooley p. 22-23). Most plates are 1st state (cf. Tooley p. 22-25). Binding: maroon straight-grained morocco, ornate gold tooled and blind tooled borders on upper and lower covers, inner panels with gold tooled corner ornaments, spines gold tooled with decorated compartments, raised spine bands, gold tooled edges and turnins, grey endpapers, text edges gilt. Provenance: armorial bookplates of Captain Sir Edwyn Francis Stanhope Bart., Royal Navy (Franks 27874). Purchased by the ATL in 1958 from Hodgson & Co. (cf. ATL qMS-0041, p. 128). Acc. 363490-363492.