{"product_id":"deliciae-britannicae-or-the-curiosities-of-hampton-court-and-windsor-castle-delineated","title":"Deliciæ Britannicæ; or, the Curiosities of Hampton-Court and Windsor-Castle, Delineated","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDeliciæ Britannicæ; or, the Curiosities of Hampton-Court and Windsor-Castle, Delineated, George Bickham, jun. — First Edition\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication\u003c\/strong\u003e: London, T. Cooper, 1742\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormatting\u003c\/strong\u003e: 12mo, pp. xii, 203, [1].\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition Report\u003c\/strong\u003e: Fair. The volume is bound in its contemporary full sprinkled calf, featuring a double gilt fillet border to the boards, though it now shows significant signs of age and heavy handling. The leather is extensively rubbed, with substantial peeling and delamination to the extremities that has exposed the underlying boards at the corners and fore-edges. The spine, originally designed with five raised bands and gilt rules, is heavily dried, with chipping at the head and tail, and the joints are cracked, though the boards remain securely attached. Internally, the text block remains cohesive. The front free endpaper bears an early, factual ownership signature (\"C. Janson\") in ink, alongside minor offsetting and age-toning typical of 18th-century paper stock, but the leaves remain generally crisp and legible throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCatalogue Note\u003c\/strong\u003e: This is the true first edition of George Bickham the Younger's architectural guide to two of England's most significant royal palaces. The work is embellished with copper-plate engravings executed by the author, including an elaborate frontispiece portrait of Raphael.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCopies of the original printing in their contemporary bindings have become increasingly scarce on the open market, particularly when retaining the original frontispiece without significant internal loss or institutional rebinding. The front free endpaper bears a standard early ownership signature in ink, adding a modest trace of provenance to the volume.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eDeliciæ Britannicæ\u003c\/i\u003e offers a fascinating 18th-century window into the artistic and architectural splendour of Hampton Court and Windsor Castle. Authored and illustrated by the noted engraver George Bickham the Younger, the work provides detailed contemporary descriptions of the royal apartments, gardens, and, most notably, the extensive collections of paintings housed within. Blending instruction with delight, it was designed both for the curious traveller and the discerning art lover, serving as an essential historical record of Britain’s royal heritage as it stood in the mid-1700s.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Broadhursts Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54628523082067,"sku":"5173","price":250.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0960\/1469\/6787\/files\/20260811_142254_e7b85062-fc2d-4b49-aaca-e8d6cf651fe8.jpg?v=1787129544","url":"https:\/\/broadhurstsbooks.com\/products\/deliciae-britannicae-or-the-curiosities-of-hampton-court-and-windsor-castle-delineated","provider":"Broadhursts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}