Measuring about 13-3/4" x 18", this oversized hardback book is titled "Envois of the Rotch Travelling Scholarship - A Selection of European Notes and Sketches taken from the work of the first and second holders of the Rotch Travelling Scholarships, Boston, Massachusetts." The publisher credit - William Helburn, of New York - is pasted on to the title page, and it is undated, although the Preface indicates the content was created in the years 1884 to 1887. It is also stated to be a limited edition (the exact wording being "Only 250 copies of this work for sale"), but the space for writing in the copy number is blank, which might indicate that this copy was not originally intended for sale (or the number could have just faded over time).  

To explain the content and purpose of the book, the Rotch Travelling Scholarship was established in 1883 in honor and memory of Benjamin Smith Rotch, the aim being to provide money for young architects to travel overseas and study architecture. So this book contains 60 plates of sketches and drawings made by the first two holders of the scholarship during their travels overseas. Those first two scholarship holders were:

Clarence H. Blackall (1857-1942), whose scholarship included travels in Europe in 1884 to 1886. Primarily as a designer of theaters, he later went on to have a long and illustrious career with the Boston architectural firm of Blackall, Clapp and Whittemore. 

Samuel W. Mead (1863-?), whose scholarship included travels in Europe in 1885 to 1887. He later went on to become a partner in the Boston architectural firm of Cabot, Everett and Mead (later just Everett and Mead). 

And that's about all I can tell you. It is bound in marbled boards with red leather spine and corners and peacock end papers. Apart from one of the leather corners missing from the back, the book is in solid and readable condition, with the binding nice and tight, but some surface scuffs and scratches and edge wear on the cover, and some of the introductory pages creased. Also, there is a bookstore inscription in pencil on the front fly leaf, and many of the plates have handwritten captions or comments in the margins. 

Oh, and did I mention how rare it is? At the time of listing, I haven't found any copies for sale or recently sold anywhere on the internet, and the only other copies I've become aware of are held by the University of Chicago and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Rotch Travelling Scholarship still exists today and is administered by the Boston Society of Architects.

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