Rural Residences, etc. Consisting of Designs, Original and Selected, for Cottages, Farm Houses, Villas, and Village Churches.. New York: "Published under the Superintendence of Several Gentleman ... to be had of the Arhcitect,

1837. DAVIS, Alexander Jackson. Rural Residences, etc. Consisting of Designs, Original and Selected, for Cottages, Farm Houses, Villas, and Village Churches... Unpaginated. Content includes: Title page, advertising leaf, [16] pp. of "Specification of the Material and Work Required for Building a Dwelling House." Illustrated with 11 hand-coloured lithographed plates and 1 tinted lithographed plate, several plates with manuscript and colour pencil additions by Davis, three related plates laid in. Folio, 353 x 265 mm., loose in original untrimmed printed wrappers, preserved in a cloth folding box. New York: [For the Author], 1837. A highly desirable copy of this legendary rarity among American architecture and colour plate books. "This is without doubt one of the dozen or so rarest and most important American architectural books and as such is a cornerstone to any serious collector" (Charles Wood). Davis was one of the most successful and influential American architects of his generation, especially for his association with the Gothic Revival style. This volume contains Davis's designs for the following: American House; Farmer's House (3 plates); Cottage Orne; Villa in the Oriental Style; Gate-House in the Rustic Cottage Style; Villa in the English Collegiate Style (2 plates); Village Church; Village School-House (2 plates). Also included is an unsigned original coloured sketch of a "Simple Country House" with interior plans, probably in Davis' hand, and two woodcut engravings of homes designed by Davis (Residence of C.G. Alger, Esq., Downing Place, Hudson River & Winyah, The Residence of Col. Richard Lathers, New Rochelle, N.Y., with hand-drawn plan of the of the interior probably by Davis. It can be assumed the original drawings are by Davis, who contributed drawings to most copies. In a remarkable state of preservation despite some chipping to the wrappers and some unobtrusive foxing. PROVENANCE: From the library of William S. Reese.