DANIELL, Thomas (1749-1840) and DANIELL, William (1769-1837). Oriental Scenery: One Hundred and Fifty Views of the Architecture, Antiquities, and Landscape Scenery of Hindoostan. London: by the authors, 1816.

DANIELL, Thomas (1749-1840) and DANIELL, William (1769-1837). Oriental Scenery: One Hundred and Fifty Views of the Architecture, Antiquities, and Landscape Scenery of Hindoostan. London: by the authors, 1816.

An early quarto edition of the Daniells’ celebrated work, the Roxburghe copy. The fine aquatint plates represent “Mughal and Dravidian monuments, cityscapes and sublime views of mountains and waterfalls and formed the most extensive work of its kind” (ODNB). Thomas and his nephew William were sponsored by the East India Company to make three tours of India, producing sketches and notes describing their travels. The quarto edition was prepared under the authors’ supervision from 1812 to 1816, reducing the monumental folio edition issued from 1795 to 1808 in order to make their work more widely accessible. This early edition with a shortened general title and no letterpress part titles corresponds to a copy described by Sutton. Abbey Travel 432; Sutton 13(A).

Six parts in three volumes, quarto (379 x 268mm). Engraved title in each part, 144 aquatint plates, 8 plans (marginal dampstain to vol. 1, spotting as usual, some plates in vol. 2 bound out of sequence and inverted, a few gatherings sprung, some plates loose). Contemporary red half morocco, spine gilt (gutta-percha perishing, some wear to hinges and edges). Provenance: Dukes of Roxburghe (bookplate) – New Order Books (bookseller in India, label).