HALFPENNY, William.  A NEW AND COMPLEAT SYSTEM OF ARCHITECTURE DELINEATED ......

HALFPENNY, William.  A NEW AND COMPLEAT SYSTEM OF ARCHITECTURE DELINEATED....                                                                  

London: John Brindley, 1749. Oblong 4to. Contemporary mottled calf. (iv), 25 pages, 47 engraved plates. First edition. [Archer, 133.1; Harris, 294; Park, 23; Schimmelman, Architectural Books, 37].

This is one of Halfpenny's rarest and best books with only one copy appearing at auction in the past twenty years and a total of nine copies of the first edition in U.S. institutions.  It contains designs for houses in the "Palladian" style, ranging in cost from about 300 to 6,000 pounds.  In addition to plans and elevations for the thirty-one small and medium sized houses there are drawings for piers, gates, courts, and gardens.  At the end there is a perspective view of a suggested plan for repairing Westminster Bridge that was also sold separately.  The New and Compleat System of Architecture was a popular work in America, being sold by booksellers in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia.  It was also listed in the extensive library of Peter Harrison, famed architect in eighteenth century Newport, Rhode Island.  Bookplate of the Institute of Surveyors with inscription from "J.W. Penfold, member, July 1877."  Penfold was a surveyor and architect and founding member of the society.  He is perhaps best known for his design of the British hexagonal post box in 1866, now known as the Penfold Box.  Spine professionally repaired with original spine used as an overlay.  Internally fine, very good.

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