![ADAM, William (1689-1748). Vitruvius Scoticus; being a collection of plans, elevations, and sections of public buildings, noblemen's and gentlemen's houses in Scotland. Edinburgh: for Adam Black and J. & J. Robertson, and T. Underwood and J. Taylor in London, [1811].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/1998/CKS/1998_CKS_05974_0148_000(104447).jpg?w=1)
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ADAM, William (1689-1748). Vitruvius Scoticus; being a collection of plans, elevations, and sections of public buildings, noblemen's and gentlemen's houses in Scotland. Edinburgh: for Adam Black and J. & J. Robertson, and T. Underwood and J. Taylor in London, [1811].
2° (523 x 360mm). 179 engraved views and plans, 16 double-page, 2 folding, extra-illustrated with a duplicate plate numbered 1. (Title creased, some browning and old dampstaining to plates, 6 plates with clean tears to folds or blank bargins, mostly neatly repaired.) Late 19th-century green morocco gilt (faded and scuffed). Provenance: Sir Charles Elphinstone Adam (armorial bookplate).
VERY RARE. William Adam began working on the plates in 1727. They remained unpublished at his death in 1748, his son John shipped the sheets to the London warehouse of Andrew Millar in 1765 in an abortive attempt to get them published. Between 1804 and 1808 some of the sheets were probably sold as scrap, and it was not until 1811 that the remaining 180 or so sets were finally published through the efforts of John Adam's heir William Adam. 161 of the plates are after William Adam; 13 after John and possibly James Adam; one after John G.Borlach and one after John Wyck. Berlin Kat. OS 2343°; Harris 8. .
2° (523 x 360mm). 179 engraved views and plans, 16 double-page, 2 folding, extra-illustrated with a duplicate plate numbered 1. (Title creased, some browning and old dampstaining to plates, 6 plates with clean tears to folds or blank bargins, mostly neatly repaired.) Late 19th-century green morocco gilt (faded and scuffed). Provenance: Sir Charles Elphinstone Adam (armorial bookplate).
VERY RARE. William Adam began working on the plates in 1727. They remained unpublished at his death in 1748, his son John shipped the sheets to the London warehouse of Andrew Millar in 1765 in an abortive attempt to get them published. Between 1804 and 1808 some of the sheets were probably sold as scrap, and it was not until 1811 that the remaining 180 or so sets were finally published through the efforts of John Adam's heir William Adam. 161 of the plates are after William Adam; 13 after John and possibly James Adam; one after John G.Borlach and one after John Wyck. Berlin Kat. OS 2343°; Harris 8. .