The History of the Royal Residences of Windsor Castle, St. James's Palace, Carlton House, Kensington Palace, Hampton Court, Buckingham House (in 3 Folio Volumes and Including a Handwritten Letter from the Author)

London: A. Dry, 1819. Full leather. Near Fine. ****IN A CONTERMPORARY CATHEDRAL BINDING, WITH 100 DELICATE HAND-COLORED PLATES****. The 1819 1st edition, complete with its 100 lovely hand-colored aquatints. Three sumptuous folio volumes, in wonderful condition, each bound in a contemporary-to-the-period full-maroon morocco. Highly decorated, with seven rolls in gilt and blind on each upper and lower cover, all edges gilt. A large cathedral stamped in gilt on each cover as well. Occasional offsetting from plates to adjacent text pages, occasional light foxing, hinges a bit rubbed but still perfectly sturdy. Decorative bookplates at each front pastedown and front free endpaper. The subtlety of the coloring of the plates and the majesty of the subject matter make this one of the great works of the Regency period. Tipped onto the front flyleaf of Vol. I is a 1 pg. ALS dated 1818, a large 4to from the author W.H. Pyne, discussing a plate for an engraving (not from this work). The set is housed in 3 custom 1/4 morocco slipcases (over marbled boards), all in beautiful condition.