Vitruvius Britannicus, or the British Architect, Containing the Plans, Elevations, and Sections of the Regular Buildings, both Publick and Private, in Great Britain, with Variety of New Designs...

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Three Volumes, ALL First editions (1715, 1717, & 1725), 230 engraved plans & elevations. 3 vols in half calf over worn marbled boards, vellum corners. Re-spined, to style, raised bands, gilt tooling & titles to morocco labels. Vol 1, 1715, engraved title & dedication leaves, [3], 4-10, 98 pls of 100 (includes 13 double page). Vol 2, 1717, engraved title page, [1], 2-8, 97 of 100 pls (20 doubles). Vol 3, 1725, [5] includes red & black ink letterpress title, 6-12 pp, 94 of 98 pls (15 doubles, 1 quad). Subscribers list with each Vol. 230 engraved plans & elevations only on 289 of 298 plates (includes 53 double-page & folding, 1 quad pl). Vol 1, vertical crease to pl 89. Vol 2, plates 46 & 59 with ink splashes & specks, double-page plate of Longleat with repaired vertical closed tears and double-page plate 99/100 marked & dust-soiled. Vol 3, plates 89 & 90 mis-bound, occasional toning, dust-soiling and few marks. Text leaves in English only. Armorial bookplate of Lord Napier to upper pastedowns, front free endpapers with later ownership inscription 'Thomas Balbirnie, Architect & surveyor, Glasgow, 1846'. (V1-493*366. V2498*354. V3-491*361 mm). (Harris 97 & 99; Archer 32.1 & 33.1; Fowler 76. TP Connor). Vol 1 lacking double-page plate numbered 86/87 - Greenwich Hospital Double Pavilion to the river. Vol 2 lacking double-page plate numbered 73/74 - Cliveden House, & pl 93 - Dyrham House. Vol 3 lacking double-page plate numbered 3/4 - Greenwich Hospital in Perspective, and double-page plate numbered 5/6 - Castle Howard in Perspective. By taking part in the making of a lavishly illustrated book, Campbell established a method of self-promotion for an aspiring architect which was to last the century. Vitruvius Britannicus, a record of the principal private and public British buildings of the time, was prepared by a group of booksellers active in the print trade during 1714. At a fairly late stage in the preparation of this costly enterprise they appear to have employed Campbell to give a more up-to-date and specifically architectural slant to volumes which would otherwise have been of a more conventionally topographical character. Campbell was presented as the author on the title-page; he probably wrote the introduction as well as the brief text which accompanied the plates for each building. Most importantly, he was able to include many of his own (mostly unexecuted) designs. ODNB. Thomas Balbirnie (1816-1867) was an architect and surveyor. Thomas travelled to the United States in 1850 and was the architect for some several structures in the city of Baltimore, including the Madison Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church.