Guide to the Crystal Palace and Park

1855, illustrated and with maps, Great Exhibition interest

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

Fifth edition. Hardback, bound in the original blue cloth with gilt titling to spine. 17.5 × 11.5cm. 197pp, 39pp, 92pp.

A rare mid-Victorian guide to the Crystal Palace and Park, laid out in 1850 as one of London's pleasure gardens and The Crystal Palace itself, relocated from Hyde Park after the 1851 Great Exhibition. This book contains three titles, of chief interest is the main title, a Guide to the Crystal Palace and Park which begins with 4 pages of conveyance by rail and road from London to Crystal Palace (Crystal Palace was part of Kent in the 1850s), followed by a railway and road fold-out map, a frontispiece of the Crystal Palace. The introduction has a fold-out ground plan and another view of the Palace. Then there is an account of the building and features, including the various courts (Egyptian, Greek, Alhambra, Assyrian etc) that were housed there. This is illustrated throughout with views of the courts and plans. The second title is Geology and Inhabitants of the Ancient World, just 38 pages long, and meant to accompany the previous title. The third title describes the natural history department of the Crystal palace and contains the examples of flora and fauna from all over the world held by the department.

Condition

Fair condition but a rare book. The blue cloth is rubbed, with the rear hinge of the spine loose and the front hinge frayed. The inner binding is sound and the pages clean. One or two of the fold-out plans have some creasing but remain readable. Previous owner's wonderfully Victorian name pencilled to the title page (Etty Kitkpatrick, October 4th, 1855).

Further pictures available on request.