Soane, Sir John (1753--1837). Designs for Public and Private Buildings - Criticism
Plans elevations and sections of bvildings execvted in the covnties of Norfolk Svffolk Yorkshire Staffordshire Warwickshire Hertfordshire et caetera by Iohn Soane architect ...
London (Place), published by Messrs. Taylor at The Architectvral Library,, 1788.
[8], 11, [1], [32] p., 47 pl. 53.5 cm. (2°).

Middle dots omitted from title and imprint. This collection of mostly executed designs for substantial villas and country houses was published by agreement between Soane and the Taylors dated 26 March 1788 (Priv. Corr. II.W.5.2). It was intended by Soane publicly to record the success of his practice after his failure to obtain a post of clerk of works at Greenwich in the preceding February. The whole of the fairly lengthy introduction, dated 10 September 1788, expressing for the first time his philosophy of architecture, was later included in his unpublished Memoirs of the professional life of an architect of 1835 (q.v.). The plates are dated 1 January 1789 and publication presumably followed shortly after that. The work reamined in print until 1826. For a fuller account of the book see BAL 3098 and Harris and Savage, pp. 428-29; see also Gillian Darley, John Soane: an accidental romantic (London 1999), pp. 89-90. With a list of subscribers. The plates dated 'Jan. 1, 1789'. Soane copy 1 has the plates printed in sepia; the other copies in black. ESTC t101996; BAL, Early printed books, no. 3098; Harris and Savage 843; Millard II, 77.

Copy Notes Copy 1: The plates in this copy are printed in sepia. Bound (1) with Soane's Sketches in architecture, 1793 (q.v., copy 2) and Designs in architecture, 1797 (q.v., copy 1).
Copy 2: 51.3 cm. In this copy the list of subscribers precedes the dedication and the table of contents is bound after the 'Introduction'. Bound (1) with Designs in architecture, 1797 (q.v., copy 2).
Copy 3: 57.5 cm. In this copy the list of subscribers precedes the table of contents. Bound (1) with I. and J. Taylor, Catalogue of modern books on architecture, [1796?] (q.v.). The list of subscribers faintly inscribed in pencil To be omitted.
Copy 4: 51.1 cm. 21 unnumbered proof before number plates only, 8 before letters with some captions supplied in pencil. With a preparatory design in ink for the title-page having a different layout from the printed version. Tipped onto the final stub is an MS. table of contents listing 46 plates including a plan and section of Wardour Castle and a plan of the principal floor of Cricket Lodge, Cricket St. Thomas, Somerset not included in the published version. Inscribed in ink on title-page Imperfect 1837. GB [i.e. George Bailey, first curator of the museum].
Copy 5: 51.6 cm. Incomplete proof copy, the plates unnumbered proofs (pl. 16 also before letters); some plates numbered by hand in ink. Wanting the list of subscribers, table of contents, text to plates 18--30, 41--44, and plates 37, 38, 45--47. With a preparatory design in ink for the title-page (cropped at the fore-edge) tipped onto a stub at the front to precede the letterpress title. Inscribed in ink on the title-page design Imperfect 1837. GB.

Binding Copy 1: C19th diced russia, gilt-ruled borders, recent calf spine.
Copy 2: C19th half green embossed binder's cloth, marbled-paper boards, red morocco spine-label, gilt-lettered 'Soane's Designs'.
Copy 3: Full C19th green cloth, red morocco spine-label, gilt-lettered 'Soane's Architecture'.
Copy 4: C19th half green embossed binder's cloth, marbled paper boards, red morocco spine-label, gilt-lettered 'Soane's Designs'.
Copy 5: C19th half green binder's cloth, red morocco spine-label, gilt-lettered 'Soane's Designs'.

Reference Number 3316