NEALE, John Preston (1780--1847)
The history and antiquities of the abbey church of St. Peter, Westminster: including notices and biographical memoirs of the abbots and deans of that foundation. Illustrated by John Preston Neale. The whole of the literary department by Edward Wedlake Brayley. In two volumes. Vol. I. (II.)
London (Place), published by the proprietor, J.P. Neale; and sold by Longman, Hurst, Orme, and Brown,, 1818. (1823).
2 vols ; 54.8 cm. (2°)
I: [12], 72, [10], 227, [19] p., [13] pl.
II: [10], 304, [40] p., [50] pl.

The arrangement of the parts in the two volumes varies in different copies; the collation given above describes Soane copy 1. The work was originally intended to be issued in ten parts as described in the (undated) prospectus published in 1816 (q.v.); the sixth part, completing volume I, was published on 1 June 1818, on which date an advertisement appeared (q.v.), containing the decision to expand it to twelve parts. By May 1823 the work was available complete in two volumes. There are 62 plates in the two volumes: one unnumbered wood-engraving, dated 1816 and showing a doorway with blank central panel, and 61 engraved or etched plates numbered I--LXI and listed on the final [4] pp. of vol. II. Plates I--V are often found in unnumbered states. Plate IV was inscribed to Soane who was one of the subscribers (see Priv. Corr. XVI.F.13). According to the 'List Of Plates', plates XXI and XXVI serve as frontispiece and added title-plate to vol. I, and plates XLI and XLVIII perform the same function in vol. II; plates L--LIX are listed separately at the end of 'An Historical And Architectural Account Of King Henry The Seventh's Chapel'. This supplement (72, [10] pp., [1], L--LIX pl.), was according to Brayley's preface paginated separately "to enable subscribers to include it in the first volume and thus to render the thickness of both volumes proportionable"; it may have originally been intended as a separate publication, to which the unnumbered wood-engraved plate may have been intended to serve as title-plate. Adams, London illustrated, no. 123, pp. 282--286; BAL, Early printed books, no. 2241.

Copy Notes Copy 1: Large paper copy with proof plates. This is the copy described in the above collation, with the Henry VII Chapel supplement bound before the main text in vol. I. In this copy, plates XXI, XXVI, L--LIX and the wood-engraving are bound in vol. I and the remaining plates in vol. II, according to the directions given in the lists of plates. On the front paste-down is a printed label of Priestley and Weale from whom this copy was bought for £42 on 24 May 1826. (Priv. Corr. XVI.E.6.9).
Copy 2: 36.4 cm. This is a quarto copy with proof plates and a full set of before-letters proofs. Volume I contains the first part of the main text, the wood-engraving on india paper and plates I--XXX; volume II the second part of the main text and plates XXXI--LXI, with the text of the Henry VII Chapel supplement bound after the plates. The six numbers 'Proof and Etchings, the last double' which Soane acquired from Neale for £16 11s. 6d. (a 10% discount on £18 7s. 6d.) on 3 May 1823 were presumably volume II of this copy. (Priv. Corr. XVI.E.5.4).
Copy 3: 55.0 cm. An 'Imperial Folio' copy of volume I only, containing the first part of the main text, the wood-engraving and plates I--XXX. One copy of vol. I, either this or vol. I of the preceding copy, was purchased for 14 guineas on 12 August 1818. (Cheque stubs 1818; Priv. Corr. XVI.E.3.4)

Binding Copy 1: C19th half diced russia, thick-thin gilt-rule borders, gilt and blind-tooled spine, marbled-paper boards.
Copy 2: C19th diced calf, gilt roll-tool borders, gilt-ruled spine, black spine labels. Bound by E. Hutchinson on 21 May 1829 for £1 6s. (Priv. Corr. XVI.E.6.29).
Copy 3: C19th half green morocco, brown paper boards, printed paper spine-label 'Imperial Folio £15. 15s.'

Reference Number 4217

Additional Names Hutchinson, Edwin; Priestley and Weale; Brayley, Edward Wedlake (1773--1854); Westminster Abbey