Picturesque Views, and Descriptions of Cities, Towns, Castles, Mansions, and other Objects of Interesting Features in Staffordshire & Shropshire

A beautiful collection of engravings from drawings by Frederick Calvert of Staffordshire and Shropshire. Engraved by T Radyclyffe and with text by William West, this work forms a charming guide to the two counties. With a frontispiece of Lichfield Cathedral, and a vignette title page of the same cathedral in addition to thirty one more engraved plates. Looking at collations on Copac, it would seem that this is part I of what was eventually a two part work only. Birmingham University collation has 37 leaves of plates for the first part with 153 pages of text and thirty two leaves for the second part with 135 leaves of text. This part has thirty two plates only, with 153 pages of text. Accompanying historical and topographical context to the plates is given by William West. The illustrations to this work are by Frederick Calvert, and engraved by the English engraver Thomas Radclyffe. The British museum notes that Thomas Radclyffe was taken in by William Radclyffe who was possibly his elder brother. This is his major work. A lovely selection of illustrations of Staffordfordshire. In the original cloth binding. Held in a later made cloth dustwrapper in order to preserve the binding, which is worn. Externally, rubbed to the boards with loss to the head and tail of spine. Loss to the spine label. Front hinge has failed with the backstrip detached from textblock. Split between joint and backstrip, which has been previously repaired with tap. Rear hinge is tender, and has tape repairs. Internally, generally firmly bound though strained in places. Pages are age toned. Closed tear to the head of page 128, no longer than 5cm and only affecting the top margin. Tidemarks to the edge of several plates. Scattered spotting to pages. Good.…