Recording Britain vol i-iv Geoffrey Cumberlege.

A collection of painting depicting scenes of 'characteristic national interest' from across wartime Britain (1940s) by members of the Royal Watercolour Society.  Some are in colour.  Many different artists and each volume covers seven to twelve English counties.  Intended to capture Britain's unique character before the dual impacts of urbanisation and bombing.

The artists were commissioned by the Committee for the Employment of Artists in Wartime and the project ran until 1943.  The artists were frequently reported as 'spies' by the public and had to be given special passes (pink cards) to paint in the landscape.

The country is divided into the constituent counties as follows

Volume 1 : London and Middlesex, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire

Volume 2 : Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire, Northamptonshire and Rutlandshire, Norfolk, Yorkshire

Volume 3 : Lancashire and Westmorland, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Shropshire, Staffordshire, Welsh Counties, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire

Volume 4 : Wiltshire, Somerset, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire  Sussex, Kent

Overall, the four volumes are in very good condition given their age.

Boards: Slightly shelf-worn and with top edges sun-faded.

Spines: Slightly sun-faded.