Folio, First Edition, with fine portrait frontispiece in mezzotint by John Faber, title in red and black, fine engraved dedication [to Arthur Onslow], 3 fine engraved portraits, 7 engraved plates of architectural details, illustrations, diagrams and tables in the text, and several fine engraved head- and tail-pieces, small worm-hole in blank margin of first dozen or so leaves, small, neat twentieth-century signature on front free endpaper, age-stain on bottom blank margin of frontispiece; strongly bound in contemporary full calf, sides with double frame border in gilt, expertly rebacked in calf to style, back with raised bands ruled in gilt, second compartments with red leather label lettered and dated in gilt, all other compartments tooled in gilt, a remarkably bright, fresh, clean, crisp copy in sympathetically restored period binding. THIS COPY WAS FORMERLY IN THE LIBRARY OF THE MARQUESS OF ORMONDE AND OSSORY AND BEARS HIS FINE ENGRAVED ARMORIAL BOOKPLATE ON FRONT PASTE-DOWN. With the 'Directions to Bookbinder' leaf (which is sometimes missing) and several relevant cuttings loosely inserted. The plates are by Thorowgood, Vandergucht and Mynde. One of the earliest biographies of Sir Christopner Wren, and a primary source of information about his life and works, Parentalia was compiled originally by his son Christopher who, however, died before the work was finished; it was subsequently completed and published published by Wren's grandson Stephen. As a biography of an English architect, the work is preceded only by the account of Inigo Jones prefixed to the second edition of 'Stoneheng Restor'd' (1725). EXTREMELY SCARCE IN THIS CONDITION. Thomson, p.182.
