Brees (Samuel Charles) The Portfolio of Rural Architecture, a Series of Drawings in the Italian Style, for Villas, etc..., first edition, 16pp. text (stitched), 15 hand-coloured lithographed plates loose as issued, final plate slightly torn and creased at one corner, ex-Donaueschingen library copy with old ink oval stamp to title and another to front pastedown, original roan-backed embossed cloth folder with ties, upper cover titled in gilt, rubbed, spine a little worn and torn, [Not in Abbey], folio, 1841.

⁂ According to Hugh Pagan, "the rarest British colour plate architectural pattern book of the first half of the nineteenth century". Catalogue 36, item 16, 2000.

Six designs are featured: the first five each with two plates, one depicting a view and another with elevations and plans; the final design for "a fashionable villa reisdence" has 5 plates of two views, plans, and two of elevations. Library Hub records 3 UK copies (BL, University of Wales and V & A) although the last has a slightly different title and is dated 1843. WorldCat lists 3 more of the 1843 edition. Brees is more well-known as an engineer and author of Railway Practice of 1837-40 (see previous lot).