Design into Art. Drawings for Architecture and Ornament. The Lodewijk Houthakker Collection (2-volume set)

London: Philip Wilson Publishers, 1989. 482/1000 copies printed. Hardcover. VG+/VG+ a like-new set. 2 vols. Dark brown cloth with brown glossy color-illustrated dust jackets. Vol. 1: pp. 1-452, 738+ plate, mostly bw. with some color. Vol. 2: pp. 453-796, 368 items illustrated in 368+ mostly bw photographs; held in matching brown cloth slipcase with decoration on both sides. The Houthakker Collection was formed in the 1960s and 1970s, when these species of drawings could be easily had for modest prices. The books are divided into five categories: Drawings For Ornament; Drawings For Decorative Arts (with sub-categories for walls, ceilings, fireplaces, furniture, clocks, metalwork, glass, textiles, carriages and ships); Drawings for Architecture, Gardens and Fountains; Drawings For Theatre and Events; Drawings For Sculpture, Maqchines and Miscellaneous. Within these categories, the drawings are further divided into country of origin. With 1106 works represented in these two volumes, the handling is broad and has sufficient depth. The publication was reviewed in 1991 by Howard Coutts in "Master Drawings" Vol. 29, No. 2 (Summer, 1991), pp. 194-198. A sumptuous and very useful publication. Uncommon.