John Haviland, 1818-1821

HAVILAND, John (1792-1852). The Builder's Assistant, containing the Five Orders of Architecture. Philadelphia: John Bioren, 1818, 1819, 1821.
 
First edition of "the cornerstone of Greek revival in America" (Wood). This work is the first American publication to depict the Greek Orders of architecture. It is not recorded at auction by RBH or ABPC; complete sets of all three volumes, published separately between 1818 and 1821, seem to be especially scarce. Hitchcock 578; Charles Wood, American Architectural Books 156 (2nd edition of vol. 3).
 
Three volumes, octavo (212 x 121mm). Lacking pp. 201-208 in vol 3, in its place are duplicates of pp. 193-200. 148 plates (lacking 2), some folding (repair to title in vol. 3, spots and stains, a few plates just shaved, some torn at folds or chipped; browning especially in vol 2, with some spots with losses). Modern half calf. Provenance: Robert Glendening (signatures in flyleaves of vols 1 and 2).