Examples of books from the Early Imprints Collection
Copyright: RIBA, British Architectural Library
As well as the regular addition of new titles|, there are within the RIBA's Books and Periodicals Collection specialist books of historic value:
They demonstrate the considerable depth in many areas of architecture covered by these collections, which are all held in the British Architectural Library. Most of these items are kept in closed-access stacks for conservation reasons, but all are available to the public for reference on request or during set collection times, usually in the Library's Reading Room at the RIBA's headquarters, 66 Portland Place. To discover what is available in the Library, use the online catalogue|.
Early Imprints Collection
The Early Imprints Collection currently holds over 4,000 books published between 1478 and 1840 from across Europe and the United States, over half are in English with the remainder published in other languages. Find out more|
Cesare Cesariano's 'Di Lucio Vitruvio Pollione de architectura libri dece', 1521
House De Dolphijn, Amsterdam from de Keyser's 'Architectura moderna', 1631
A page from the 'Heirloom copy' of Christopher Wren's 'Parentalia', 1750
York Minster from John Britton's 'Cathedral antiquities', 1819
Detail of King William Street from 'Tallis's London street views', 1838-1840
Set design from Schinkel's 'Sammlung von Theater-Decorationen', 1849
Handley-Read Collection
The Handley-Read Collection was the working library of the late Charles Handley-Read. This collection consists of just over 500 volumes with many original texts from the second half of the 19th century. Together they provide outstanding coverage of architecture and decorative arts from the Victorian and Edwardian period through to the 1970s. Subjects covered include:
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architectural ornamentation
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the writings of architects such as Ruskin, George Gilbert Scott and Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin
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Gothic architecture
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international exhibitions, including the catalogue of the Great Exhibition of 1851
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the history of London
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fine arts, such as ceramics and sculpture.
'Glossary of ecclesiastical ornament and costume' by A. Welby Pugin, 1846
Interior of St Paul's Cathedral, from 'Old and New London', 1873
Title page to James K Colling's 'Gothic Ornaments', 1848
The Great Exhibition of 1862, from 'Cassell's illustrated exhibitor'
Cover to 'Tallis's history and description of the Crystal Palace', 1852
G. G. Scott's 'Remarks on secular & domestic architecture', 1858
Please note that currently there is no access to the Handley-Read Collection.
This is due to the temporary relocation of part of the RIBA's collections in order to enable the construction of a new exhibition gallery at 66 Portland Place.
Modern Movement Collection
This collection includes the key works of the International Modern Movement. Encompassing the Bauhaus (Gropius and Mies van der Rohe among others) and Russian Constructivism, these 600 books date from from the 1920s through to the 1950s and document developments in architecture during that period. It contains many rare items, particularly from eastern Europe. Among the topics covered are:
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the work of CIAM
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the writings of Erich Mendelsohn, Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright
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modern interiors
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housing
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work in other languages such as Czech, Dutch, French and German.
'Nieuw-Nederlandsche bouwkunst' published in 1926, Amsterdam
Cover of 'Ein Industriebau' published in 1927, Berlin
'Das Schaltwerk Hochhaus in Siemensstadt' by Hans Hertlein, 1929
'Nejmensi byt' by Karel Teige, published in 1932, Prague
'Modern architecture: being the Kahn lectures for 1930' by Frank Lloyd Wright
'Russland, Europa, Amerika' by Erich Mendelsohn, published in Berlin, 1929
Please note that currently there is limited access to the Modern Movement Collection and items from this collection will be only be made available by advanced appointment.
This is due to the temporary relocation of part of the RIBA's collections in order to enable the construction of a new exhibition gallery at 66 Portland Place.