2 volumes (xii, [58] pages, [1], 78 leaves of plates; 166 pages, [1], 80 leaves of plates) : color illustrations ; 49 cm
Notes:
"It was originally intended to divide the work into thirty-eight parts, each containing four plates, to be delivered to the public at intervals of a fortnight. The work was also issued in five divisions, each comprising eight parts; and, in order to render these divisions of equal extent, it was found necessary to increase the number of parts to forty, embracing the whole, 160 plates. The first number appeared on the 1st of October, 1851, and the last will have been published on the 7th of March, 1853" (p.xi).
"Shortly after the opening of the Great Exhibition the publisher called upon the author ... stating his desire to demonstrate, upon a great scale, the capabilities of colour-printing as an auxiliary to industrial education ..." (Postscript).
"The edition printed had amounted to 1300 copies" (p.xi).
Each plate is accompanied by a short descriptive and explanatory text.
Illustrated with 158 chromolithographs plus an added chromolithographed t.p. in each volume; each plate with its own imprint.
Letterpress by G. Barclay, Castle Street, Leicester Square (p.xii).
One hundred and nine of the chromolithographs were produced by Francis Bedford and his assistants, including J. Sliegh and J.A. Vinter; others were executed by the artists permanently attached to the establishment of the publisher (p.xi).
Price: 17 guineas, half bound.
The draughtsman employed to draw the objects illustrated are listed on p.x; they include, P.H. Delamotte, J.A. Vinter, H.C. Pidgeon, F. Clayton, F. Smallfield, W.E. Pozzi, H. Rafter, J. Sliegh, H.N. Humphreys, A. Stevens and Dalziel.
With index.
In this volume, the cloth and leather corners from the upper board of an earlier binding retained inside upper board; dark brown morocco grain cloth with decorative illustration and cover title blocked in gold.