Antique Engraved View of the General Post Office, London, Meyer, circa 1850

The General Post Office in London, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption below the image reads DAS GENERAL-POSTAMT in London, the General Post Office in London.

The view looks along the street past the colonnaded front of the Post Office, which fills the left side of the plate with its tall Ionic columns, railings and a central portico under a pediment. The dome and lantern of Saint Paul's Cathedral rise in the distance at the right, above a row of tall brick houses and shops. In the street horses draw mail coaches and a cab toward the viewer, a man holds up a sign board on a pole near the railings at the left, and pedestrians, children and a dog crowd the pavement while another dog runs across the cobbled roadway in the foreground.

No artist or engraver is named on the plate. The imprint at lower left reads Aus d. Kunstanst. d. Bibliogr. Instit. in Hildbh. (from the art works of the Bibliographisches Institut in Hildburghausen), and at lower right Eigenthum der Verleger (property of the publishers). The plate number CCCLXXXVII is engraved at the top right.

The sheet comes from a dealer's album rather than from a bound set. Meyer's Universum was a serial collection of engraved views with descriptive text, published by Joseph Meyer's Bibliographisches Institut at Hildburghausen from 1833, its plates engraved on steel. The building in St Martin's le Grand was designed by Sir Robert Smirke and opened in 1829, and it was demolished in the early twentieth century.

Marked handling soiling along the right and top edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Corners and edges are not shown by this scan. Clean, even paper tone in the margin. One larger brown mark.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.