Tallis’ London Street Views includes eighty-eight parts, which were followed by eighteen additional enlarged and revised views released several years later. “Each part consisted of the engraved elevation spread over the two centre pages, four surrounding pages of advertisements with an historical and descriptive text occupying the middle columns, and a coloured wrapper carrying the title, further advertisements, and a street directory relating to the elevation … The elevations of both sides of the street were engraved together with a map of its location in relation to surrounding streets and a view, either of the street itself, or of a famous building or individual shop. Where possible each street was dealt with in a single issue, but several of the important longer thoroughfares had to be spread over two or more parts: Oxford Street, for instance, had six parts devoted to it. So although there was a total of eighty-eight parts only seventy-four streets were illustrated. Each issue of the Street Views was sold at 1 1/2 d. a copy, with an occasional exception at 2d. The low cost is explained by the fact that the publication was devised as an advertising medium. Although the lists of names in the street directories were complete, by no means all of the premises in the elevations had their proprietors’ names engraved on them, and it is clear that this privilege had to be paid for. According to Beresford Chancellor (Architectural Review. July, 1924, p. 39), the drawings for the elevations were made by an artist named Charles Bigot … The historical and descriptive notes were probably compiled by William Gaspey who certainly wrote the notes for the 1847 edition … The printers of the covers and text are W. Hill of Northampton Street, Clerkenwell, but it is unlikely that they also printed the engraved plates, for the printing of copper- and steel-engravings was a highly specialized craft bearing no affinity with letterpress printing … There is a reference among Tallis papers to ‘Willoughby our printer,’ which clearly refers to Richard Willoughby & Co. … Although it is impossible to date the beginning and the ending of these Street Views precisely, I suggest the following dating: Parts 1-36, issued 1838; Parts 37-79, 1839; Parts 80-88, 1840. The later edition of Street Views is also undated but from the clues contained in the advertisements it seems that they were issued during the latter half of 1847.” [Jackson, Peter (1969). Introduction. John Tallis’s London street views (p. 9-13). London Topographical Society, Nattali & Maurice, London.] The Rumsey Collection copy includes 77 original street view pamphlets; the online version is augmented by 11 facsimile images of numbers 78 to 88 from the London Topographical Society edition mentioned above.
pub_note
Tallis’ London Street Views includes eighty-eight parts, which were followed by eighteen additional enlarged and revised views released several years later. “Each part consisted of the engraved elevation spread over the two centre pages, four surrounding pages of advertisements with an historical and descriptive text occupying the middle columns, and a coloured wrapper carrying the title, further advertisements, and a street directory relating to the elevation … The elevations of both sides of the street were engraved together with a map of its location in relation to surrounding streets and a view, either of the street itself, or of a famous building or individual shop. Where possible each street was dealt with in a single issue, but several of the important longer thoroughfares had to be spread over two or more parts: Oxford Street, for instance, had six parts devoted to it. So although there was a total of eighty-eight parts only seventy-four streets were illustrated. Each issue of the Street Views was sold at 1 1/2 d. a copy, with an occasional exception at 2d. The low cost is explained by the fact that the publication was devised as an advertising medium. Although the lists of names in the street directories were complete, by no means all of the premises in the elevations had their proprietors’ names engraved on them, and it is clear that this privilege had to be paid for. According to Beresford Chancellor (Architectural Review. July, 1924, p. 39), the drawings for the elevations were made by an artist named Charles Bigot … The historical and descriptive notes were probably compiled by William Gaspey who certainly wrote the notes for the 1847 edition … The printers of the covers and text are W. Hill of Northampton Street, Clerkenwell, but it is unlikely that they also printed the engraved plates, for the printing of copper- and steel-engravings was a highly specialized craft bearing no affinity with letterpress printing … There is a reference among Tallis papers to ‘Willoughby our printer,’ which clearly refers to Richard Willoughby & Co. … Although it is impossible to date the beginning and the ending of these Street Views precisely, I suggest the following dating: Parts 1-36, issued 1838; Parts 37-79, 1839; Parts 80-88, 1840. The later edition of Street Views is also undated but from the clues contained in the advertisements it seems that they were issued during the latter half of 1847.” [Jackson, Peter (1969). Introduction. John Tallis’s London street views (p. 9-13). London Topographical Society, Nattali & Maurice, London.] The Rumsey Collection copy includes 77 original street view pamphlets; the online version is augmented by 11 facsimile images of numbers 78 to 88 from the London Topographical Society edition mentioned above.
Pub Note
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