Tallis's History and Description of the Crystal Palace and the Exhibition of the World's Industry in 1851. Illustrated by beautiful steel engravings, from original drawings and daquerreotypes, by Beard, Mayall, etc.

London and New York: John Tallis, 1851. Three volumes. 4to. 275 x 201 mm. (10 3/4 x 8 inches). [2] blanks, iv, 5-268 pp.; [1] blank, [iv], 5-262 pp.; [2], 110 pp. Illustrated with a folding chromolithographic plate, 3 engraved frontispieces, and 138 engraved plates. Bound in contemporary black pebble morocco, three simple fillet borders in gilt, decorated spine; joints and tips lightly rubbed and paper at hinge of front board of volume one is split. Preliminary leaves lightly foxed and sporadic foxing in text, some tissues guards brown, but the text and images are generally crisp and clean. Ownership inscription of Hannah B. Edmands (1823-1909), of Newton, MA appear in all three volumes. First edition. Attractive copy of this extensive study of the Crystal Palace Exhibition in London, the international exposition of the arts and industry sponsored by the British Government and private supporters. Illustrated with over 140 steel engravings reproduced from daguerreotypes by Beard and Mayall, this work is an illustrated history of the Palace as well as the contributions of the 19 member nations who exhibited the best of their cultural creations both from the past and present. The engravings are exquisitely produced and represent the highest quality examples of the art as executed by the British engravers Hollis, Bibby, and D. Pound to name the most prominent. For today's scholars, perhaps the most important part of this three-volume set is the text which describes in detail the origins of the exhibition, the vision of Prince Albert, and dedication of the inventor Henry Cole who oversaw much of the project. The text reveals information on the funding and financial operations of the executive committee, and the architectural design and construction of the Palace and pavilions by Fox and Henderson. One of the more interesting revelations that the authors stress is the impact that the exposition had on the City of London as it prepared for thousands of foreign visitors to come to exhibition. A sense of urban renewal swept the city and civic improvements were initiated to ensure that Victoria's London was represented in the most positive light. The plate count seems to vary from copy to copy from 140 to 145 engravings. This copy with color lithographic frontispiece in volume one which is sometimes missing. The binding appears to be American as is the ownership of the book. Weinreb, Catalogue 29,The Arts Applied no. 785. (352). (Inventory #: 352)