Beschreibung:

NELSON, John. The History, Topography, and Antiquities of the Parish of St. Mary Islington . London: John Nichols and Son, 1811. One work in five volumes, further extended to 9, 4° (268 x 201mm). 4-page list of subscribers, double-page plan and 11 plates only (of 12), EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED, manuscript title-pages with watercolour illustrations, maps and engravings, folding and double-page, some hand-coloured, c.300 original watercolours, articles, broadsides, manuscript material and extracts from the third edition of this work (1829). (Some offsetting and light staining, a few small marginal repairs (vol III), some dampstaining.) [ with ]: an additional 3 volumes miscellaneous printed and manuscript material pertaining to Islington. Uniformly bound in contemporary red morocco gilt by Hering. [ and ]: another volume of miscellaneous material relating to Islington. Near-uniform contemporary red morocco gilt, 2 green moroco spine labels, titled Historical Collections. Islington. 1726-1839 . Provenance : Richard Percival, Highbury Park (manuscript material tipped in) -- THE HUTH COPY (bookplate; sale, 11 July 1917 lot 5248 to J. Bumpus for £126). FIRST EDITION, EXTENSIVELY EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED with additional material complementing, enriching and updating Nelson's original text. It includes maps and plans of Islington taken from a varitey of sources; engravings and original watercolours of the landmarks of Islington including c.20 engravings published by R. Ackermann in 1819; engraved portraits of the borough's most famous residents, including Dick Whittington and more colourful characters such as Richard Brothers (1757-1824), a religious fanatic who was confined in Fisher House and Thomas Topham, the Strongman; engravings of scenes in Islington including various balancing acts 'of the famous Polander as they are performed every evening at Sadler's wells', 'The Charms of Dishabille or New Tunbridge Wells at Islington' depicting a scene at Islington spa, with music beneath, and a 'singular cricket match' of Hampshire versus Surrey played on October 3rd 1811 at Balls Pond Newington, in which all the players were women (handcoloured); caricatures including 'Moses' by Henry William Bunbury (1750-1811), which was first published by Bretherton in 1783, and shows a merchant and his manservant, riding past a signpost pointing to Hackney, Islington and Shoreditch (see illustration) and, also by Bunbury, 'The Delights of Islington' published by J. Bretherton in 1772. Among the manuscript material is a letter written in the third person to Vernon, Hood and Sharpe, seller's of Nelson's History , 11 June 1811, Upper Street, Islington, one page, 4to , sending them a dozen copies of the work and a letter to Mr. Percival from Sir Henry Ellis (1777-1869), Librarian at the British Museum, 2 pages, 8vo of Lazar House, Holloway. The additional four volumes supplement Nelson's work even further and consist of collections of cuttings from newspapers, magazine articles and court reports, tradesmen's tickets and advertisements including 7 sheets of engraved tobacco advertisements, each sheet with 5-6 engravings, several folding maps, concert bills including one for 'the necromancer, Mr Ball' at the Highbury Tavern in 1825, auction notices, lottery tickets, engraved portraits and views and manuscript coroner's report on a woman's suicide, 1 July 1748, one page, 4to . According to the Huth sale catalogue, 'the first five volumes ... were brought together and arranged by Mr Upcott for Mr Percival, the banker'. An inscription in vol. IV, under an engraving entitled 'A Collector' which depicts a gentleman (?Upcott) holding a book on topography, reads: 'Presented, January 26th 1883, to his much valued friend, Richard Percival Junr. Esq. by the collector William Upcott of the London Institution'. This engraving is followed by a watercolour of the drawing room at Upcott's home, 'Autograph Cottage, no.102 Upper Street Islington', dated March 4th 1840. (For more infor