Nice item on Sir Christopher Wren...
Item # 699431This item is currently up for auction on eBay (item #110588487331). You’re welcome to bid there, or email us at info@rarenewspapers.com if you’d prefer to buy directly at the web-price. If it remains unsold, we’ll be in touch.
September 08, 1716
THE POST BOY, Sept. 8, 1716
* British architect Christopher Wren
* Rare publication w/ nice masthead
Near the top of the back page is a very significant item on the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren.
The report reads: "Christopher Wren, Esq., is removed from being Clerk of his Majesty's Works, and is succeeded by John Mercer Esq., formerly belonging to Mr. How's Office, as pay-master of the guards and garrison."
Christopher Wren is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history. He was accorded responsibility for rebuilding 52 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including what is regarded as his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, completed in 1710.
Other notable buildings by Wren include the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and the south front of Hampton Court Palace. The Wren Building, the main building at the College of William and Mary, Virginia, is attributed to Wren.
Rarely do we have an opportunity to offer period reports concerning Christopher Wren.
A single sheet issue with two decorative engravings in the masthead, 8 1/4 by 13 3/4 inches, a bit of light staining or dirtiness, good condition.
background: This rare 1716 artifact captures a seismic turning point in British history: the official decline of the legendary Sir Christopher Wren, the architectural titan who resurrected London from the ashes of the Great Fire of 1666. Published just six years after the completion of his crowning jewel, St. Paul’s Cathedral, this report documents the shocking moment the 84-year-old genius was ousted as Clerk of the King’s Works—a victim of ruthless Hanoverian political maneuvering. To hold this single-sheet issue is to touch the very moment the English Baroque era began to fade, replaced by the rising tide of Palladianism. Featuring exquisite decorative engravings in the masthead, this isn't just a newspaper; it is a primary-source witness to the end of an era for the man who defined the London skyline and designed the historic Wren Building at the College of William & Mary. For the serious collector of architecture, royalty, or 18th-century ephemera, this is a museum-grade opportunity to own a "changing of the guard" document involving the most celebrated architect in the English-speaking world.
* British architect Christopher Wren
* Rare publication w/ nice masthead
Near the top of the back page is a very significant item on the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren.
The report reads: "Christopher Wren, Esq., is removed from being Clerk of his Majesty's Works, and is succeeded by John Mercer Esq., formerly belonging to Mr. How's Office, as pay-master of the guards and garrison."
Christopher Wren is one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history. He was accorded responsibility for rebuilding 52 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including what is regarded as his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral, completed in 1710.
Other notable buildings by Wren include the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and the south front of Hampton Court Palace. The Wren Building, the main building at the College of William and Mary, Virginia, is attributed to Wren.
Rarely do we have an opportunity to offer period reports concerning Christopher Wren.
A single sheet issue with two decorative engravings in the masthead, 8 1/4 by 13 3/4 inches, a bit of light staining or dirtiness, good condition.
background: This rare 1716 artifact captures a seismic turning point in British history: the official decline of the legendary Sir Christopher Wren, the architectural titan who resurrected London from the ashes of the Great Fire of 1666. Published just six years after the completion of his crowning jewel, St. Paul’s Cathedral, this report documents the shocking moment the 84-year-old genius was ousted as Clerk of the King’s Works—a victim of ruthless Hanoverian political maneuvering. To hold this single-sheet issue is to touch the very moment the English Baroque era began to fade, replaced by the rising tide of Palladianism. Featuring exquisite decorative engravings in the masthead, this isn't just a newspaper; it is a primary-source witness to the end of an era for the man who defined the London skyline and designed the historic Wren Building at the College of William & Mary. For the serious collector of architecture, royalty, or 18th-century ephemera, this is a museum-grade opportunity to own a "changing of the guard" document involving the most celebrated architect in the English-speaking world.
Item from last month's catalog - #364 - released for March, 2026.
Category: The 1600's and 1700's
