St John's College W.133 (part)
Sir Hugh Casson, Sketch Book, 1975
Sir Hugh Casson (1910-99), of St John’s College: Sketch Book: A personal choice of London buildings – drawn 1971–1974 and introduced by John Betjeman (London: Lion and Unicorn Press, 1975). Contains a selection of drawings from a series commissioned from Casson by the Illustrated London News.
1 vol., 375 x 270 mm. Paper. 29 plates, comprising 25 watercolour sketches in colour facsimile and 4 pp. of autograph text in facsimile, in spiral-bound card covers designed to replicate the artist’s sketchbook. Copy no.68 of a limited edition of 100 copies, signed by Casson and Betjeman. Inscribed by Casson on front cover: ‘Geoffrey! I think you should have this – please, 5.4.76’ [possibly addressed to the sculptor Geoffrey Clarke RA, CBE].
Accompanied by 4 loose sheets of autograph sketches (3 ink, 1 pencil) and correspondence, two of which are also addressed to ‘Geoffrey’; a photocopy of a page containing two sketches, one by Casson and one signed ‘Brommers alias Dunn’; a reproduction of Casson’s watercolour sketch ‘Royal Opera House, Covent Garden’ issued in paper covers by the Design Research Unit in 1984; and a printed copy of the Royal Academy of Arts ‘Gallery guide’ to the exhibition ‘Sir Hugh Casson PRA: Making Friends’ (2013).
Purchased for £700 from Blackwell’s Rare Books in May 2017.