Written In English
This is a stunning 1849 first edition of Decorated Windows: A Series of Illustrations of the Window Tracery of the Decorated Style of Ecclesiastical Architecture edited by Edmund Sharpe, a respected 19th-century British architect and scholar of Gothic architecture. Published in London by John Van Voorst, this book is part of Sharpe’s larger body of work that aimed to document and revive appreciation for England’s medieval church architecture, particularly during the Gothic Revival movement of the mid-19th century. As its title suggests, the volume is dedicated to detailed illustrations of decorated window tracery—an intricate and highly stylistic element of church design found primarily in the Decorated Gothic period (c. 1290–1350).
Sharpe was a key figure in the movement to catalog and preserve ecclesiastical buildings, and this work combines his architectural expertise with richly detailed plates meant to inspire both scholarly study and the practice of ecclesiastical restoration. The book would have served architects, historians, and students of design, especially those interested in reviving Gothic principles in contemporary Victorian architecture. Its importance lies not only in its practical illustrations but also in the intellectual effort to preserve the aesthetic and spiritual heritage of Gothic design during a time of rapid industrialization and modernization.
Altogether, this is a valuable and highly decorative reference work on Gothic window design, offering both historical significance and a striking shelf presence. It’s a particularly attractive acquisition for collectors of architectural history, Gothic Revival materials, or finely bound 19th-century illustrated works.
Condition:
This particular copy is handsomely bound in a three-quarter leather binding with marbled boards and a gilt-titled black leather label on the front cover. The raised bands on the spine, each with a small decorative gilt stamp, add an elegant touch, while the original marbled edges and endpapers complement the book’s architectural subject with period craftsmanship. The binding is tight and robust, with some light scuffing at the joints and corners, appropriate for its age. Internally, the pages show expected foxing and toning but remain clean and legible, with all plates intact and well-preserved. The name “S. Hastings” appears handwritten at the head of one preliminary page, adding a personal provenance detail.
