Five Autograph Letters Signed (all 'Howard Colvin') from Sir Howard Montagu Colvin to his fellow architectural historian Peter Reid., discussing various country houses and stately homes.

Totalling 7pp., 12mo. All in good condition, on aged paper, except for the fourth, which has light water staining from the bases of a cup. The first three letters addressed to 'Mr. Reid', and the last two to 'Peter'. In the first letter Colvin discusses Redbourne House in Derbyshire, Salle Park, Norfolk, and Barrington Park, Gloucestershire. 'I am going to Burford on Thursday and will see if I can get a sight of the exterior despite the churlish owner. As you say, it is quite possible that the home was designed by Joynes.' In the second letter he discusses the Glanusk Park estate, Steephill Castle, Kirklees Park and Barrington. Of the latter place he writes: 'I am sorry to have alarmed you, but I had no intention of making a frontal attack on the house. It is, however, possible to get an excellent view of the south front from a wood on the edge of the park: indeed, if it had not been raining I would have taken a photograph which would have been the almost exact counterpart of Sandby's view of 1776. It certainly looks a most delectable seat, and I hope you succeed in getting inside. No doubt the family papers are still there, but it would be too much to hope to see them. In the church there is a very odd prayer, put up quite recently, I think by the present owner, begging the Almighty to allow him to go on fishing until the day when he is caught by the landing-net of the greatest Fisherman of All!' The third letter refers to Walberton House, Widden Hill House, Chilton Lodge near Hungerford ('Being in Berkshire the day before yesterday on another errand, I took the opportunity to go to Chilton, and you will be glad to know that the Lodge is still there and looking well cared for in the middle of an obviously prosperous estate.'). The fourth letter refers to Belmont ('how surprising to find Wyatt's bow windows &c. still intact'), and to 'the Parnham and Garrons drawings now at the NMR'. He also reports on a visit to the Hertfordshire Record Office. In the last letter he again discusses Garrons. 'I am always interested to hear of unexecuted designs, which are duly noted in my card-index. It is, however, quite out of the question to mention them all in my Dictionary, and I do so only when they are of special interest in themselves or represent the work of an architect whose drawings are rare.' He ends the letter with a brief discussion of the problem.