By the look and feel of it, probably originally issued in parts; this seems to be the
earliest edition, anticipating in its coverage the Great Exhibition. Indeed later issues
(1858-60) easily incorporated material relating to it.
Much rarer than one might suppose: COPAC locates only the Wellcome and Cardiff
copies of this edition. A near fine copy, with an additional chromo plate in vol. 2 which
does not seem to be present in other copies, but clearly belongs.
2 vols in 1, folio, chromo frontispiece, pp. v (i), 390 (but index ff. bound after title), profusely illus.; chromo frontis., pp. v (i), 406, 1 chromo plate, text profusely illus., contemp. black calf, spine gilt tooled in bands, burgundy gilt-lettered label, comb-marbled edges.
£225
