A 1765 first of John L Cowley’s The theory of perspective demonstrated… sold for £17,000 by Christie’s on July 12.
Ten of the 11 plates feature folding parts, printed on both vellum and card, used to demonstrate three-dimensional geometrical designs. This work, says Christie’s, followed on from the author’s 1758 Appendix to Euclid’s Elements in providing a more comprehensive account of the theory of perspective.
The King Street copy, above, boasts a contemporary English binding of red morocco gilt.
