Burnet (John James). British Museum Extension

London.- Burnet (John James) Architect. British Museum Extension,presentation portfolio containing 17 perspective views, elevations, sections and plans (?of more), photo-litho plates laid on 10 dark brown mounts with ruled borders, one with a hand-written noted recording an amended design to the one illustrated, which raised the cornice to allow more light to the upper storey, this dated 1905, contained in the original gilt-lettered full-morocco portfolio, c.1905; with a small group of original architect's drawings of alternative elevations, and a fragment of a plan, pencil drawings on draftsman's paper, loosely inserted in the portfolio, along with a sheet from L'Architecture aux Salons 1911, also showing Burnet's plans and elevations.

***This was the first English commission secured by the Scottish architect John James Burnet (1857-1938), when he was chosen by the Trustees of the British Museum from a shortlist of seven names submitted by the RIBA. This was to build the Edward VII gallery, which was eventually all that was built to his design, but he took the opportunity to develop plans for the expansion of the whole building on all sides, and for a Parisian-style grand boulevard to approach it from the north..