Title:
Acts of Parliament
Acts of Parliament Vol. IV
Undated
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. none
Bookplate - none
Acts of Parliament
Acts of Parliament Vol. IV
Undated
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. none
Bookplate - none
Title:
Campbell's Chief Justices
The Lives of The Chief Justices of England Vol. I
John Lord Campbell, LL.D., F.R.S.E.
1858 [Second edition; originally published 1849]
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1309
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Campbell's Chief Justices
The Lives of The Chief Justices of England Vol. I
John Lord Campbell, LL.D., F.R.S.E.
1858 [Second edition; originally published 1849]
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1309
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Curiosities of Literature - Disraeli
Curiosities of Literature Vol I
Isaac Disraeli
1849
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1260
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Curiosities of Literature - Disraeli
Curiosities of Literature Vol I
Isaac Disraeli
1849
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1260
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Cyrano de Bergerac - E. Rostand
Cyrano de Bergerac
Edmond Rostand
1901
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1267
Bookplate - 59 Strand
Cyrano de Bergerac - E. Rostand
Cyrano de Bergerac
Edmond Rostand
1901
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1267
Bookplate - 59 Strand
Title:
History of Napoleon I - Lanfrey
The History of Napoleon the First Vol. IV
P. Lanfrey
1879
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1819
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
History of Napoleon I - Lanfrey
The History of Napoleon the First Vol. IV
P. Lanfrey
1879
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1819
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Burnet's History of the Reformation
The History of the Reformation of the Church of England Vol.I
Gilbert Burne
1850
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1822
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Burnet's History of the Reformation
The History of the Reformation of the Church of England Vol.I
Gilbert Burne
1850
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1822
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Imagination and Fancy - Leigh Hunt
Imagination and Fancy or Selections from the English Poet
Leigh Hunt
1846
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1862
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Imagination and Fancy - Leigh Hunt
Imagination and Fancy or Selections from the English Poet
Leigh Hunt
1846
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1862
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Lectures on Art - Weekes
Lectures on Art
Henry Weekes
1880
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1931
Bookplate - 440 Strand
Lectures on Art - Weekes
Lectures on Art
Henry Weekes
1880
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1931
Bookplate - 440 Strand
Title:
Lives of the Queens of England
From the Norman Conquest Vol. VII
Agnes Strickland
1857
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1313
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Lives of the Queens of England
From the Norman Conquest Vol. VII
Agnes Strickland
1857
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1313
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Outlines of Astronomy – Herschel
Outlines of Astronomy
Sir John F.W. Herschel, Bart
1859 [Sixth Edition; originally published 1849]
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1985
Bookplate - 59 Strand
Outlines of Astronomy – Herschel
Outlines of Astronomy
Sir John F.W. Herschel, Bart
1859 [Sixth Edition; originally published 1849]
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1985
Bookplate - 59 Strand
Title:
Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers
Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers
A series of Excursions by Members of the Alpine Club
1859
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2003
Bookplate - 440 Strand
Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers
Peaks, Passes, and Glaciers
A series of Excursions by Members of the Alpine Club
1859
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2003
Bookplate - 440 Strand
Title:
Plurality of Worlds
Of the Plurality of Worlds. An Essay
Published anonymously
1859
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2026
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Plurality of Worlds
Of the Plurality of Worlds. An Essay
Published anonymously
1859
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2026
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Byron's Poetical Works - Don Juan
The Poetical works of Lord Byron Vol. VI
1856 [Cantos IV-XVI of Don Juan]
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2034
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Byron's Poetical Works - Don Juan
The Poetical works of Lord Byron Vol. VI
1856 [Cantos IV-XVI of Don Juan]
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2034
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Wordsworth’s Poetical Works
The Poetical Works Of Wordsworth
Undated, but c. 1880-1889
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2046
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Wordsworth’s Poetical Works
The Poetical Works Of Wordsworth
Undated, but c. 1880-1889
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2046
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Russell’s Modern Europe
The History of Modern Europe Vol.IV
William Russell
1850
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 3414
Bookplate - 59 Strand
Russell’s Modern Europe
The History of Modern Europe Vol.IV
William Russell
1850
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 3414
Bookplate - 59 Strand
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Title:
Dante - Cary
The Vision; or Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise
Dante Alighieri
Translated by The Rev. Henry Francis Cary, MA
1847 [A New Edition, originally published in 1814]
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2302
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Dante - Cary
The Vision; or Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise
Dante Alighieri
Translated by The Rev. Henry Francis Cary, MA
1847 [A New Edition, originally published in 1814]
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2302
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Truths Illustrated
Truths Illustrated by Great Authors
1852
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2274
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Truths Illustrated
Truths Illustrated by Great Authors
1852
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2274
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Smith’s Wealth of Nations
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes
of the Wealth of Nations.
Adam Smith
1828
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2324
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Smith’s Wealth of Nations
An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes
of the Wealth of Nations.
Adam Smith
1828
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2324
Bookplate - Angela Burdett-Coutts
Title:
Dickens Works – Edwin Drood etc
Works of Charles Dickens Vol.XXX
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and other Stories
Undated, but c. 1873-6
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1558
Bookplate - 59 Strand
Dickens Works – Edwin Drood etc
Works of Charles Dickens Vol.XXX
The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and other Stories
Undated, but c. 1873-6
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 1558
Bookplate - 59 Strand
Title:
Works of Thackeray- The Four Georges - English Humourists
The works of William Makepeace Thackeray
Vol. XXIII
1889
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2378
Bookplate - 440 Strand
Works of Thackeray- The Four Georges - English Humourists
The works of William Makepeace Thackeray
Vol. XXIII
1889
Coutts & Co. Library cat. no. 2378
Bookplate - 440 Strand
STATEMENT
In 2006, Coutts & Co, one of the oldest and most prestigious banking firms in London, commissioned the artist, Veronica Bailey, to explore its remarkable archive, which dates back to the bank’s foundation in 1692, with the intention of inspiring a new body of work that both “creates a Coutt’s narrative, as well as visual intrigue”
For her solution, Bailey unlocked the glass-fronted cabinets of the Old Staff Library, located on the fourth floor at the Coutts headquarters, 440 Strand. During this process she examined over 1,000 books, many bearing fine tooled leather bindings with luscious marbled or gilded page edges.
The Old Staff Library was established in the 1850s by Thomas Coutts’ granddaughter, Angela Burdett-Coutts (1814-1906), who donated a substantial number of her own books to the collection. Visiting the library regularly, Bailey developed an alternate narrative by focussing on a specific selection of titles, published between 1800 and 1901. During this process, she re-interpreted the Coutts books as Neo-gothic monuments, reflecting a wealth of architectural splendour and decoration; evidence of a wealthy and prosperous economy within the banking world of nineteenth century Britain. The final assemblage of artworks represent the spirit of that time - from significant changes via war, social discontent, self-reflection, to new economic and technical advancements. Within Hours of Devotion lies a collective shift in consciousness, centred upon the realms of religion, politics, and culture - it is a unique portrait of concerns and aspirations.
For her solution, Bailey unlocked the glass-fronted cabinets of the Old Staff Library, located on the fourth floor at the Coutts headquarters, 440 Strand. During this process she examined over 1,000 books, many bearing fine tooled leather bindings with luscious marbled or gilded page edges.
The Old Staff Library was established in the 1850s by Thomas Coutts’ granddaughter, Angela Burdett-Coutts (1814-1906), who donated a substantial number of her own books to the collection. Visiting the library regularly, Bailey developed an alternate narrative by focussing on a specific selection of titles, published between 1800 and 1901. During this process, she re-interpreted the Coutts books as Neo-gothic monuments, reflecting a wealth of architectural splendour and decoration; evidence of a wealthy and prosperous economy within the banking world of nineteenth century Britain. The final assemblage of artworks represent the spirit of that time - from significant changes via war, social discontent, self-reflection, to new economic and technical advancements. Within Hours of Devotion lies a collective shift in consciousness, centred upon the realms of religion, politics, and culture - it is a unique portrait of concerns and aspirations.
Prix Pictet nominee 2011
PRINT INFORMATION Edition 12 + 3 A/P. Framed Fuji archival Lambda print in black box frame.
Each embossed with editioned signature title label.
Print size 1: 890 x 590mm . Edition 8
Print size 2: 1810 x 1210mm. Edition 4
PRINT INFORMATION Edition 12 + 3 A/P. Framed Fuji archival Lambda print in black box frame.
Each embossed with editioned signature title label.
Print size 1: 890 x 590mm . Edition 8
Print size 2: 1810 x 1210mm. Edition 4
All artwork and images © Veronica Bailey 2025.
