SMIRKE (Sir ROBERT, 1781-1867, architect) FINE AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED ('Rob. Smirke'), to Lt Colonel [Charles William] Pasley (1780-1861), royal engineer and author of a book on concrete, claiming to have used concrete long before the Institute (probably the Royal Institute of British Architects) had thought any contemporary had when awarding their prize ('...I am sure there was not one among them who ever heard or dreamt of the use of Concrete until they saw the advantageous application of it in the works where I had employed it...'); specifying his use of it in underpinning the Custom House in about 1825 and stating that recent examination of the building showed no failure or movement and also in the penitentiary buildings (illustrating his point with a sketch) as early as 1817, 3 pages, quarto, integral address leaf, integral seal, postal markings, Stratford Place, 16 December 1837

Pasely's book, 'Limes, Calcareous Cements, Mortar, Stuccos and Concretes...,' commenced in 1836 and first published in 1838, led at once to the manufacture in large quantities of artificial cements, such as Portland, patent lithic and blue lias.

£250