William Birch

Country Seats of the United States of America
William Birch, 1808
BIRCH, William (1755-1834). Country Seats of the United States of North America, with some scenes connected with them. Springland, Pennsylvania: W. Birch, 1808 [but 1809].
The Snyder-Snider copy of a great rarity of early American color plate books, with original wrapper. First edition. "Birch's skill as a miniaturist is demonstrated in his charming second book. Birch and his sons, Thomas and George, collaborated on this work, combining line and stipple engraving with delicate coloring to rich effect. The conception of Country Seats was primarily decorative, a handsome series of views aimed at an audience such as might possess country estates themselves. This kind of luxury view book, a genre of immense popularity in England and Europe, never really took hold in the United States. Americans preferred to buy individual views and prints which were produced in huge numbers, but not expensive books” (Stamped with a National Character). The general title and the Mendenhall plate are both second issue, according to Snyder, from when the 20 plates were issued as a single volume as opposed to in four parts. The general title has a letterpress copyright note on the verso and Mendenhall has the spelling of its name corrected. Howes B-460 ("c"); Sabin 5531; Stamped with a National Character 2; Snyder, "William Birch: His County Seats" In Pennsylvania Magazine, 1957, vol.81, no.3.
Oblong quarto (222 x 275mm). 20 hand-colored copper plate engravings, including general title and section title (2cm tear in general title mended on verso, 3 plates foxed/browned, a couple of small edge chips). Original front wrapper with paper printed label (chipped at edges, neatly rebacked with cloth, modern lower wrapper supplied); modern chemise and quarter morocco slipcase. Provenance: Martin P. Snyder (as noted in Snider catalogue) – Jay Snider (bookplate to chemise; his sale, Bloomsbury New York, 19 November 2008, lot 222).