Design

1850 · 55957 — London: Chapman and Hall 1850. 8vo. xi 1 216 pp. plus 32 pp. publisher’s catalogue. Steel-engraved frontisp. of Queen Victoria w/ nearly 200 woodcut text engravings designs & plates 30 Fabric paper and wallpaper samples 1 sample w/ small hole. Black ribbed publisher’s cloth gilt lettering & spine minor wear & fraying to spine rear outer joint minor bumping to corners some offsetting to a few leaves from the samples still a VG- copy. First edition thus of this famed journal which aimed to improve the standards of British manufacturers and artists for the decorative and applied arts targeting the fast rising Victorian British middle class. This second volume is dedicated to the Duchess of Sutherland Mistress of the Robes and close friend of Queen Victoria as well as prominent abolitionist. There are numerous references throughout to the forthcoming 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition as Cole 1808-1882 continually encouraged designers to reach a balance between utility and ornament and raise the quality of British manufacturing. He was elected the chairman of the Society of Arts in 1846 and was able to direct the organizing of the Exhibition which received over 6 million visitors and turned the profits from the Exhibition into founding the South Kensington Museum now the Victoria & Albert Museum. The Journal displays many samples of textiles wall papers embroidered textiles and silks. In addition there are extensive sections on pottery glass metalwork lighting sculpture furniture and much more. Of interest are the excellent articles on book arts book design including expositions by Ruskin the report on the forthcoming Exhibition to Prince Albert and more. These Journal volumes have become quite scarce in the market of late and they were all heavily used throughout the 19th century for reference and inspiration. Chapman and Hall, hardcover