Ornamental Interiors Ancient & Modern

London: Crosby Lockwood and Co, 1887. First edition. Cloth. Good. 10.5" by 7.5". Not Stated. A very scarce work by John Moyr Smith, exploring many different examples and the history of ornamental interiors, illustrated throughout. The first edition of this very scarce work.Illustrated with a frontispiece, thirty-two plates, and in-text engravings throughout.Four pages of adverts to the rear.Collated, complete. 'Ornamental Interiors Ancient & Modern' explores the beautiful specimens of decorative interiors found in Victorian architecture, with the idea that all modern work is founded on ancient examples. Moyr Smith looks at decorations used in particular rooms of a house, such as the dining room and library, as well as describing and showing examples of decoration from around the world and throughout history, including Assyrian, Roman, Egyptian, and Byzantine. Interestingly Moyr Smith traces the rise of the modern styles of decoration, sourcing the rise back to the Great Exhibition. The illustrations showcase the beauty of many prominent houses and palaces of Britain, including Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, and Warwick Castle, as well as foreign examples such as Fontainebleau and the court at Khorsabad. In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally, generally smart. Minor bumping to the head and tail of the spine and to the extremities, with a little loss of cloth to the extremities. A few light marks to the boards and spine. Hinges are strained. Label to the front paste down. A little loss of paper to the head of the recto of the front endpaper. Internally, binding is strained. Pages are bright with some scattered spots. Prior owner's ink inscription to the reverse of the frontispiece. Four plates are detached but present. Good