(Caroline Fox and Davies Gilbert) Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society. A granderised collection of the first reports thought to be Caroline Fox's own. First annual report 1833 to the fifth annual report 1837, in one volume, with extra bound in letters, original sketches, plans, architectural drawings, etc, full pebbled red calf, rubbed to extremities and joints, 4to, gilt edge, vg, Jane Trathan, Falmouth, 1833-1837.First bound letter (MS) with the title "First Prospectus of the Falmouth Polytechnic Society, in the Spring of 1832" detailing the society's aims and objectives, with a list of lead members; this appears to be in the hand of Davies Gilbert himself, using examples from the Science Museum, the close top of the capital 'I' for instance, and the angularity of the lower case letters firmly suggest it is, without it being signed; Followed by (as a frontis) an original ink and wash portrait of Davies Gilbert and indeed flat signed by Gilbert.'Report of the Cornwall Polytechnic Society 1833,' List of Members, Laws of the Society, proceedings of the General Meeting, bound in watercolour sketch of a Cornish mine, an ink and wash sketch of 'Loss of the Prince of Wales, 1804', ink sketch 'Park of Whitby Abbey', prizes awarded, watercolour still life of flowers initialled RJ 1833, list of subscribers, watercolour plan of a greenhouse, Chart of Gothic Architecture, ink and wash sketch titled 'A Method of Ventilating Mines'.'The Second Annual Report of the Cornwall Polytechnic Society 1834,' watercolour portrait of a bearded man with a large ruby on his hat, 'A Mineralogical Sketch of the Island of Banca' (Bangka Island, Indonesia), a ground plan of Ashfield estate, engraving of a Dipping Needle Deflector, ink sketch of a Hydrostatic Lock, ink and watercolour chart on Cornwall, engravings of the 'Cheese Wring' in Bodmin, engraving of The Royal Academy Medal 1837.'The Third Annual Report of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society 1835,' ink sketch of the Polytechnic medal, ink sketch of Laocoon and Sons, watercolour Jack Knife, , engraving of a ruined abbey, engraved portrait, watercolour coastal scene, ink sketch of capital punishment in a schoolroom, 'Lines of equal magnetic inclination' map of the Uk and Ireland, 'Two Treaties on the Natural History of the Pilchard' by Jonathan Couch, meteorological diagrams (x2) with a fold out engraved '...Register Kept at Ashfield near Falmouth...1835', a fold out engraved chart titled 'A Chronological Chart of the Wars of the British Empire, From the Revolution in 1688-9 to 1855', four architectural plans for The Royal Polytechnic Hall, Falmouth.'The Fourth Annual Report of the Royal Polytechnic Society 1836,' newspaper clipping of a general meeting, watercolour of seaweed specimens, still life of flowers x2, engraving of Queen Victoria.'The Fifth Annual Report of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society,' hand drawn magnetic chart of the UK and Ireland by Robert W. Fox, hand drawn magnetic chart of the Atlantic, ink sketch of crows, ink sketch of knights, an original hand drawn map signed by Edwin Fox and titled 'Recent discoveries in the Artic Regions by Parry, Franklin, Ross and Buck', graphite sketches of models of Trewethey Stone and Dungerthis Monument, a linear map between Falmouth and Truro with detailed key, watercolor botanical sketch.The work concludes with a letter written in the same hand as the first, detailing the rise of three other 'Polytechnics' since the inception of the Falmouth Society; and a printed announcement for the 'Sunderland Polytechnic Society', 1838.This is a work of huge historical significance concerning the development of science and art, which propagated from the inception of the Falmouth Polytechnic Society and was indeed granted Royal patronage from King William IV in 1835. A singular and important work. John Stengelhofen (1939-2020). Coming from London, he trained as an architect in the meticulous modernist aesthetics of the mid-century Architectural Association. He found Cornwall, moved there and never left. Active in the early years of the Trevithick Society, he was primarily responsible for the introduction of the Society’s Journal in 1973. He left mainstream architecture in the County Architects's department to pursue academic research at the newly-established, Institute of Cornish Studies, establishing himself as a generous, but authoritative lecturer on Cornish industrial archaeology along the way. He used his architectural skills to design Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, then becoming its first Director in 1975. He moved to the National Maritime Museum in charge of their outstation at Cotehele, with the Tamar sailing barge Shamrock. During his period as President of the Royal Institution of Cornwall, 1984-1986, he had a major hand in the acquisition of the adjacent premises enabling the Royal Cornwall Museum to expand. He co-founded Twelveheads Press in 1978 to publish well-researched books on Cornish and other industrial history. Always generous with both skills and information, he was active in the Cornish Buildings Group for fifty years where he made a substantial contribution to the quality and protection of the built environment of his beloved Cornwall. Latterly he returned to his love of modern design, in the form of research into twentieth century Cornish architecture and architects, and produced as a last collaborative project, a visionary, affordable development in Hayle with impeccable eco credentials, where he made his home.
