The Power of Form Applied to Geometric Tracery

London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1851. First edition. Cloth. Good Only. 10" by 7". Robert E. Branston. A very scarce first edition study on geometry and Gothic Architecture in geometrical form, complete with illustrations of one-hundred designs. The first edition of this very scarce work, last seen at auction in 1997.A mathematical study on the power of form in geometry.In this treatise Robert William Billings aims to prove that Gothic Architecture was founded upon geometric law.Illustrated with fifty double-sided plates, showing one-hundred designs and their foundations resulting from one simple diagram.Collated, complete.Engraved on wood by Robert E. Branston.Two pages of publisher's adverts to the front. In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally, some of the spine to the head and tail, and a little to the joints. Spine is lifting to the joints and to the head and tail, with a small amount of fraying of cloth. Hand-written spine label is age-toned and rubbed with loss. Minor bumping to the extremities. A little loss to cloth to the head of the front board and to the tail of the rear board. Minor marks to the boards. Prior owner's ink inscription to the recto of the front endpaper. Bookseller's label to the rear paste down. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and generally clean with some spotting. Good Only