Condition Report:
Binding: Bound in the original, publisher's premium blue decorative cloth. The front board and spine feature intricate, uniformly strong gilt embellished lettering and decoration. The cloth color remains remarkably bright and vibrant.
Wear: Light, age-appropriate bumping to the corners and the top/tail of the spine.
Interior: Exceptionally clean and crisp text block with minimal foxing.
Completeness: Fully collated and 100% complete. All 61 color plates and tissue guards are present and in excellent condition.
Facsimile: The rare folding facsimile of signatures is present; it remains in excellent condition saving for one very minor, clean 1cm closed tear along a natural fold line.
Historical Significance: This important antiquarian volume is a scarce first edition of British Water-Colour Art by Marcus B. Huish, published in 1904 by A. & C. Black. This specific work was produced to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, serving as a permanent historical record of the exquisite collection of paintings presented to Their Majesties by the Royal Society of Painters in Water Colours. This beautiful piece of Edwardian royal memorabilia includes the highly sought-after folding facsimile of the Coronation Address, complete with the lithographed signatures of the Society's prestigious artists.
Illustrations & Contents: An exceptional resource for the history of British watercolor painting, the book is lavishly illustrated with 61 full-page, high-quality color fine art plates. Each plate is safely protected by its original, descriptive tissue guard. The volume provides a comprehensive overview of the finest British watercolor artists of the late Victorian and early Edwardian eras.
