Observations on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening. Including Some Remarks on Grecian and Gothic Architecture, Collected from Various Manuscripts ....
- Contemporary three-quarter leather over paper boards. Later cloth slipcase.
- London: T Bensley for John Taylor, 1805
London: T Bensley for John Taylor, 1805. [Second Edition.]. Contemporary three-quarter leather over paper boards. Later cloth slipcase.. Very good; binding rubbed; partially unopened, untrimmed; three leaves with some rumpling to the fore-edge - one with the fore-edge slightly cut-down (to eliminate wrinkling?). This copy is clean throughout with excellent color and modest offsetting. The color overlays are in excellent condition. Printed on thick paper.. Large generous 4to; 16, [1] - 222, [2 - index & list of plates] pp. + frontispiece portrait of the author & 27 engraved or aquatint plates (1 double page; 1 folding). In addition there are 11 aquatint vignettes in the text. Twelve of the aquatint color plates have overlays.
"It is rather upon my opinion in writing than on the partial and imperfect manner in which my plans have sometimes been executed that I wish my fame to be established". Thus did Repton commence the book offered here. There is no more profound statement of the principles of the "English garden" than is offered herein. The book is, suitably, beautifully printed and sumptuously produced. It is not a book of theory but rather a record of the practical accomplishments of Repton's garden design ideas with an explanation of his aims and his methods of achieving them for his numerous clients. The book was originally published by subscription and then immediately re-printed (unaltered) with a total printing limited to 750 copies. Given the illustrations, format, and materials it was an expensive book. Millard, Architectural Collection, II, British Books, #66; Carter ...., Humphry Repton; Robinson, Introduction to Reprint ...., 1980. See Mosser/Teyssot, History of Garden Design for numerous references to the author. This is the Blairhame copy with the bookplate. Natalie Bennett Blair née Knowlton built "Blairhame" (designed by Carrêre and Hastings) in Tuxedo Park, NY between the wars. She was a noted collector of American furnishings and antiques.
"It is rather upon my opinion in writing than on the partial and imperfect manner in which my plans have sometimes been executed that I wish my fame to be established". Thus did Repton commence the book offered here. There is no more profound statement of the principles of the "English garden" than is offered herein. The book is, suitably, beautifully printed and sumptuously produced. It is not a book of theory but rather a record of the practical accomplishments of Repton's garden design ideas with an explanation of his aims and his methods of achieving them for his numerous clients. The book was originally published by subscription and then immediately re-printed (unaltered) with a total printing limited to 750 copies. Given the illustrations, format, and materials it was an expensive book. Millard, Architectural Collection, II, British Books, #66; Carter ...., Humphry Repton; Robinson, Introduction to Reprint ...., 1980. See Mosser/Teyssot, History of Garden Design for numerous references to the author. This is the Blairhame copy with the bookplate. Natalie Bennett Blair née Knowlton built "Blairhame" (designed by Carrêre and Hastings) in Tuxedo Park, NY between the wars. She was a noted collector of American furnishings and antiques.
Details
Title
Observations on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening. Including Some Remarks on Grecian and Gothic Architecture, Collected from Various Manuscripts ....
Author
Repton, Humphry
Binding
Contemporary three-quarter leather over paper boards. Later cloth slipcase.
Condition
Very Good
Publisher
T Bensley for John Taylor: London
Date
1805
Edition
[Second Edition.]