Lot 111: PALMER, Charles John (1805-1882). Illustrations of Domestic Architecture in England, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth as exemplified in the interior of the residence of John Danby Palmer . London: printed for private distribution only, 1838.

PALMER, Charles John (1805-1882). Illustrations of Domestic Architecture in England, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth as exemplified in the interior of the residence of John Danby Palmer. London: printed for private distribution only, 1838.

2 volumes, 2° (380 x 255mm). Chapters I, II, IV and V bound in vol. I; vol. II comprises chapter III 'The Drawing Room'. 43 numbered engraved plates, EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED with 4 titles (one printed in red and black, one in red, gold and black, two marked proof in manuscript), with another variant title in red and black The History and Illustrations of a House in the Elizabethan Style of Architecture, engraved portrait frontispiece of the author, captioned in pencil 'Private plate. Proof before letters', large illuminated miniature of Palmer's coat-of-arms, 76 additional engravings (3 of which hand-coloured), 79 pencil and pen & ink drawings, together with 67 engraved portraits of nobles, 12 portraits of monarchs and 4 plates of their seals, 14 autograph letters and documents (including documents signed by Charles I and Charles II), 9 manuscript family trees, 4 engraved and 2 lithographic maps, 5 watercolours, facsimile of Charles I's death warrant, the vast majority window-mounted, and with hand-coloured coats of arms in the margins of the text. (Occasional light spotting, mostly confined to the margins of the window-mounts, one plate more heavily affected in vol. I.) Contemporary maroon morocco, covers with two gilt triple fillet borders enclosing a large stylised foliate pattern, interlaced at corners with fleur-de-lis, with smaller, more detailed tooling of petals and stems at top and bottom centre, gilt spines, lettered in second and fourth compartments, gilt turn-ins (extremities lightly rubbed, covers discoloured, spines lightly faded). Provenance: CHARLES JOHN PALMER (ink ownership inscription to flyleaves of both vols dated 'Gt. Yarmouth 29th September 1839, and engraved armorial bookplates) -- circular engraved armorial bookplate.

AUTHOR'S OWN UNIQUE EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED PROOF COPY OF HIS MAJOR WORK ON THE HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE OF HIS FAMILY'S ELIZABETHAN HOUSE. Palmer came from an established Great Yarmouth family. His father, John Danby Palmer (1769-1841), served as the town's mayor twice, and he followed this tradition by being elected to the same office in 1854. A keen promoter of Great Yarmouth, Palmer was deeply interested in the town's history, and he was a keen antiquarian, becoming fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1830. His father bought the Tudor house at 4 South Quay in 1809 (now called 'Elizabethan House'), and the present work is Palmer's private record of the building. It was issued in at least two forms, with a focus on the Elizabethan ornamentation, fittings and furniture, but in this magnificent author's own 'grangerized' copy, Palmer considerably expands the nature of the work, placing the house's historical narrative in a wider context. RIBA 2416 (ordinary issue with variant title). (2)

VISENTINI, Antonio (1688-1782) after
Est. £15,000 - £20,000
($24,150 - $32,200)