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CHILDS, Cephas G. Original subscription book for

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Philadelphia: c. 1825-31. 4to (270 x 210 mm). Introductory page describing the proposed work in Child's hand, followed by 22 pp. of subscriber's manuscript (mostly holograph) names and addresses. Blind-stamped roan. Condition: two names clipped, some soiling to the first leaf; rebacked and recased, covers worn. Provenance: Martin P. Snyder. a remarkable survivial, shedding light on the origins of one of the most well-known plate books of the early 19th century. The introductory description begins: "C. G. Childs proposes publishing by Subscription, a series of picturesque views in Philadelphia, and its vicinity; engraved in the line manner, from original drawings by Doughty, W. and G. Strickland, T. Birch, Haviland &c. The work will comprise those scenes on the Delaware and Schuylkill, most remarkable for beauty; delineations of the most important and interesting Public buildings, with miscellanious views in the City and environs." Following a description of the number and composition of parts, as well as the prices for the work in two sizes, Childs continues: "Philadelphia can boast of many beautiful scenes in its immediate neighborhood, and contains finer specimens of Architectural taste than any city on the American continent. Her edifices for the promotion of domestic comfort, of art and science, charity and religion, are no where surpassed ... perhaps no one departs without wishing to possess some permanent memorial of our City and its Institutions. To furnish such a memorial is the publisher's object." The first sixty-five names and addresses are written in Childs's hand, but the remaining 292 names are signed by the subscribers. Many of the notable Philadelphians of the day purchased the work, and included both artists who worked on the project and those in competition to Childs: Robert Vaux, Thomas Cadwalader, Nicholas Biddle, George Strickland, Thomas Doughty, Thomas Wharton, Andre Prevost, John Binns, James Thackara, A. S. Logan, Frederick Graff, John Haviland, C. P. Wayne, George Lehman, etc. Facing the final page of subscribers's signatures is an annotation in Childs's hands suggesting that he was beginning to compile subscriptions for a "New Series" of views, surmounting a later inscription by him for a project entitled Antiquities of Philadelphia (dated March 1831). Neither project was ever completed. However, throughout the book, Childs has annotated the names of subscriber's who were deceased, suggesting that at some later point he was contemplating selling to the original subscribers an additional work. Following the names of the subscribers, the remainder of the book is comprised of blank sheets, with the exception of the terminal 17 leaves, which were evidently used by Childs to mount early proof impressions of the engravings (or original watercolor studies?) to show prospective subscribers. Unfortunately, those views were long ago removed from the album, leaving only the captions in Childs's hand and the remnants of the mounting. See chapter two of the introductory essay to Snyder's Mirror of America for a lengthy and detailed discussion of this subscription book, as well as the publication history of the Views.

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