COOKE, George. Views in London and its Vicinity. Complete in Forty-Eight Plates, Engraved on Copper, by George Cooke, from Drawings by Callcott, R.A. Stanfield, A.R.A. Prout. Roberts. Stark. Harding. Cotman. Havell. &c. &c. after the original sketches made on the spot by Edward W. Cooke. Longman and Co. [et al.]. [1834].
Large 8vo., bound by L[ucien] Broca in half burgundy morocco over decorative cloth boards, ruled in gilt; five raised bands to spine, fully gilt in compartments and lettered direct with author and title; upper edge gilt, marbled endpapers; pp. [ix], 2-7, [iii], followed by 48pp of plates as called for; slight scuff to leather on lower board; light sporadic foxing, but generally a very good copy in a fine binding.
Originally issued in parts between 1826 and 1833. "This series of views of London and its environs was [George Cooke's] pet project and he persuaded a number of distinguished fellow artists to supplement the contributions by himself and his son ... In half a dozen of George and Edward Cooke's contribution of a total of 22 drawings they were assisted by A.W. Callcott, Clarkson Stanfield, and William Harvey with 'Figures and Effect'. Stanfield, by now famous, also contributed nine of his own drawings of both river and inland subjects while his friend David Roberts drew St Dunstan in the West, just completed to the designs of John Shaw. Callcott's share was two Thames views and one of the demolition of Swallow Street, in 1821, to make way for Regent Street. Samuel Prout's six plates also include four of the Thames, including one of the sinister convict hulk lying off Deptford. J.D. Harding ... drew the Hammersmith Suspension Bridge and two other subjects and William Havell, John Sell Cotman and Peter de Wint were each represented by a single plate. Two up-river views, of Kew and Fulham and Putney, were by James Stark." (Bernard Adams, London Illustrated 1604-1851, pp. 361-3).
The binder, L. Broca, is relatively unknown, however bookdealer Laurence Worms writes that he was: "born in the tiny French village of Sorbs in 1839...first appears in London in Frith Street, Soho, in 1875, remaining there until 1879 and working with Simon Kaufman (1856-1897) in the middle of that period – Kaufmann a native of Koblenz and generally described as a dealer in “plush leather and fancy goods”, rather than a bookbinder." Broca's final appearance as a bookbinder in directories seems to have been in 1904, by now in Gerrard Street, still in Soho. He ended his days, from at least 1907, selling confectionery on Chiswick High Road.
Included in the 48 copper engravings are views of the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey and the Gardens of Kew.
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