Picturesque Representations of the Dress and Manners of the English

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FIFTY HAND COLOURED AQUATINT PLATES, EACH WITH AN ACCOMPANYING LEAF OF TEXT First edition, 4to, in full black morocco, spine gilt titled, lower and fore edges untrimmed, title leaf, contents leaf, & 50 hand coloured engraved plates, each with a guard leaf and a descriptive leaf, the text printed on rectos only, edges of binding rubbed, some foxing and soiling, edges uncut, upper hinge weak. (243*175 mm). (Colas 2357. Hiler p16. Lipperheide 987). The occasional watermarks range from an unclear date prior to 1810 up to 1821 (the latter on guard leaves only). The subject of these delicately coloured engravings range from the King to a chimney sweep, from a Knight of the Garter to a Billingsgate fish woman; so not only the costumes but the many strata of English society are depicted. William Alexander was an artist and drawing master who became the first keeper of the prints and drawings at the British Museum. These plates are generally not as picturesque as those of Alexander's similarly titles and almost simultaneous costume books on China, Russia, and Turkey; but the ceremonial and military outfits can be rather spectacular.