Shute (John) The First and Chief Groundes of Architecture used in all the ancient and famous monymentes: with a farther & more ample discourse uppon the same, than hitherto hath been set out by any other, first edition, title within an elaborate woodcut border, woodcut initials and illustrations, lacking plates and fol. xiv-xv, fore-margins repaired, occasionally touching text with loss to a few letters of final f., light soiling to final p., some light marking and soiling elsewhere, [Avery's Choice, Five Centuries of Great Architectural Books 48; Berlin Kat 2264; STC 22464], In Fletestrete nere to Sainct Dunstans churche by Thomas Marshe, 1563 bound after Palladio (Andrea) I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura, first collected edition, 4 parts in 1, collation: A2, B-I4; AA-KK4; AAA-FFF4; AAAA-RRRR4, lacking blank leaf RRRR4 but with KK4, Roman and italic type, each title within architectural woodcut borders with de Franceschi's printer's device included in upper panel, a different printer's device on verso of fol. RRRR3, 221 woodcut illustrations, plans, and sections (156 are full-page blocks, including 84 printed as plates, recto and verso of 42 leaves) executed after Palladio's drawings by Giovanni and Cristoforo Chrieger, Cristoforo Coriolano, and others, numerous woodcut animated initials, first title upper and fore-margins restored with repaired tear and chip to head, 4M4-4R3 with restoration and repair to fore-margin, sometimes straying into text or image, a few leaves shaved at head, affecting the odd headline or signature, C4-F1 foxed and browned, occasional foxing or soiling elsewhere, ink inscription "No. 35" to first title along with partially erased ink ownership inscriptions to the following two ff., [Avery's Choice, Five Centuries of Great Architectural Books 19; Mortimer Italian, 352; Berlin Kat. 2592; Cicognara 594; Fowler 212; Olschki Choix, 15125; PMM 92], Venice, Domenico de' Franceschi, 1570, together 2 works in 1 vol., bookplate of James Lees-Milne to front pastedown along with a note of provenance in Lees-Milne's hand and an invoice from George Bayntun for repair work made to the binding, 18th century paneled calf, neatly rebacked, retaining original backstrip, extremities a little rubbed, folio (285 x 195mm.).

⁂ A remarkable pair of milestones in the history of architecture.

The first mentioned is the first book on architecture to be published in England as well as the first to be published on the subject in English. The word architecture first appeared in print on the title and other fundamental architectural terms such as architrave and entablature first make their way into the English language in these pages. While Shute was not an architect of particular note, his contribution to the appreciation of architecture in the English-speaking world was immense. Although this example is defective it is nevertheless the only time we have been able to trace a copy appearing at auction, Placzek and Giral in Avery's Choice state that only seven copies of this work are known (likely not including this copy, no copy in the BL).

The second mentioned is the first collected edition of the Quattro Libri dell'Architettura by the Paduan theorist and practising architect Andrea di Pietro della Gondola, universally known as Andrea Palladio, after the name given to him by his patron and renowned humanist Giangiorgio Trissino. Palladio was primarily active as an architect in Venice, Vicenza, and along the Brenta river, where he built magnificent villas for wealthy members of the Venetian patriciate. This authoritative and influential treatise celebrates the purity and simplicity of classical architecture, drawing its inspiration from Roman sources, especially Vitruvius, and Italian Renaissance architects, above all Leon Battista Alberti. The work is divided into four parts or libri, devoted to orders and elementary problems, domestic buildings, public buildings, and town planning and temples. The treatise was reprinted and translated many times over the following centuries.

Provenance: James Lees-Milne (1908-1997) English writer and expert on country houses (bookplate); note in Lees-Milne's hand: "This edition of Palladio's Quattro Libri was given by me to John Beresford Fowler and returned to me after his death, November 1977. I gave it to my dear friend John Anthony Kenworthy-Browne 1993".