WILTSHIRE. BRITTON (John) & RUTTER (John). Graphical and Literary Illustrations of Fonthill Abbey, with Heraldical and Genealogical Notices of the Beckford Family. London: Printed for the Author, 1823. First edition, viii, [5]-68, [4, list of subscribers], [4, adverts]pp., with half-title, engraved frontispiece, additional engraved title-page, 6 engraved plates and 2 coloured aquatints interiors (some browning and spotting), 9 genealogical tables, title vignette view of Fonthill. [Bound with:] RUTTER (John) Delineations of Fonthill and its Abbey.1823

Shaftesbury: Printed for the Author, First edition, xxvi, 112, [3 genealogical tables]pp., with half-title, LACKING THE FOLDING PLAN AND SUBSCRIBERS LIST, 12 engraved plates numbered 2-13 (3 hand-coloured), with an extra-unnumbered engraved viw of the house from the south-west, some light browning and spotting as usual, woodcut vignette illustrations in the text. 2 Vols., in one, 4to (275 x 214 mm), contemporary diced calf, spine gilt with olive green roan labels. The two rival books bound together, they give the best contemporary account of William Beckford's extravagant Gothic house at Fonthill, built for him by James Wyatt between 1796 and 1812. Rutter began the book when the house still belonged to Beckford, but completed it after Beckford had sold the house to John Farquhar, and in its finished form it is a remarkably vivid memorial to the house in the closing days of Beckford's period of ownership. Provenance: Bookplate of John Monkhouse, Barnard Castle; presentation label of Simon Nowell Smith; from the library of Josceline Grove, with bookplate and his typed catalogue description pasted to front endpapers. First work: Holmes, p.104; Cooper II, pp. 93-94; BAL Cat. 416. Second work: Holmes p.104; Cooper II, pp.97-98; BAL Cat. 2881; Abbey, Scenery, 418.