Sepulchral Memorials. HYETT (W. H.)

BELTON HOUSE COPY ON LARGE PAPER

Sepulchral Memorials. Consisting of Engravings from the Altar Tombs, Effigies & Monuments Ancient & Modern Contained within the County of Northampton. From the Pen drawings of W. H. Hyett.

Engraved title-page, 14 plates, two etched vignette plates and three woodcut vignettes.

First Edition. Three parts in one. Folio. Large Paper Copy. [484 x 300 x 14]. [2]ff, vii, [i], 15, [5], 17-40 pp. Bound c.1840 in half claf, marbled paper sides, the spine divided into six panels with gilt compartments, lettered in the second, the others tooled with pointillé flowers and scrolls, a "B" surmounted with a coronet in the upper panels and an urn in the others, marbled endleaves, gilt edges. (Headcaps, joints and corners a little worn, sides rubbed).
London: published for W. H. Hyett by Messrs. Nicholls & Co, April 7th, 1817.

Engraved title lightly foxed and some spotting but a good copy. This is a large paper copy, in folio, and six of the plates are marked as Proofs. The list of subscribers contains 26 names for Proofs, 79 for Folio, and 33 for Quarto. With the bookplate of Belton House and bound for the Earl Brownlow, with his coroneted "B" on the spine. John Cust (1779-1853) F.R.S., F.S.A. was created first Earl Brownlow in 1815. He was not an original subscriber to the work but he was a serious book collector and was a member of the Roxburghe Club from 1842 until his death. The Brownlows acquired the manor at Belton, in Lincolnshire, in 1619. Work on the new house began in 1685, and William Winde is the probable architect. Sir John Summerson described it as "much the finest surviving example of its class" and others regard it as the perfect English country house. It was taken on by the National Trust in 1984.

With the red leather label of Eric Sexton F.S.A. of Rockport, Maine. Sold Christie's, 16/4/1981, as part of lot 381.

Stock no. ebc5349