Raymond Needham; Alexander Webster — Somerset House Past and Present

London, T. Fisher Unwin, 1905. First edition. Cloth. A vanishingly scarce first edition of history tracing Somerset House"s transformation from Tudor palace to neoclassical landmark, with illustrations. In the publisher"s original red cloth binding with illustrative gilt. This volume is a first edition. A very scarce historical survey of Somerset House, the grand neoclassical complex on London"s Strand that replaced the Tudor palace of the Duke of Somerset.Chapters explore the origins of the site, dating back to the Duke of Somerset's Tudor-era palace, its architectural evolution and occupant history, and noteworthy periods of its institutional uses. Richly illustrated with a monochrome frontispiece and fifty-six plates. Collated, complete.  In the publisher's original cloth binding. Externally, very smart. Spine faded and rubbed, with the odd handling mark to spine. Slight rubbing and bumping to extremities. Offsetting to endpapers. Front hinges slightly cracked, but holding firm. Internally, firmly bound. Hinges slightly strained in places, but remaining firm. Pages bright and clean with the odd scattered spot, heavier to first and last few leaves and fore edge. Very Good . Ill.: None Stated. Very Good .