London by Walter Besant (1912) | 125 Illustrated Views of the City Through the Ages

A beautifully preserved 1912 “new impression” edition of London by Walter Besant, published by Chatto & Windus/London. This handsome volume is bound in striking blue cloth with gilt lettering and decoration, including the iconic dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral on the front board and a crest on the spine. Frontispiece with tissue guard. Binding tight. Deckled side/bottom edges. Light rubbing/bumping to spine edges/corners. Clean pages. 343pp. Within its pages are 125 detailed illustrations that bring to life the sweeping history of England’s capital—from Roman remnants to the age of George II. Besant guides the reader through the city’s development with richly descriptive prose and historically rooted narratives, organized by era:     •    After the Romans     •    Saxon and Norman     •    Plantagenet (three chapters)     •    Tudor (two chapters)     •    Charles the Second     •    George the Second Condition: Very Good A beautiful piece which includes architectural drawings, historical landmarks, city plans, and street scenes—each offering a visual window into London’s layered past.