With the bookplate of British archaeologist Thomas Ashby [1874 - 1931], the first student at the British School in Rome and a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries; he was later the Assistant Director at the British School, then Director from 1906 - 25. With a pencil note, probably in Ashby’s hand referring to a sale [Vespignani] where it was acquired in March 1900. His father had retired to Rome in 1890 so he undoubtedly spent much time there before enrolling in the school.
The signature, or at least the name, Antonio de Romanis appears in pencil on the rear end paper. De Romanis [1788 - 1849] was an antiquary, architect and publisher in Rome. The present sketches are reminiscent of the style of those illustration F. Nardioni’s Roma Antica (1812-22), published by de Romanis. The preface states that the plates were added “by interest and study of Antonio de Romanis”; later on we read that de Romanis “visited and investigated himself a great part of the places mentioned in the work.” De Romanis was placed third for his ‘experiment in civil architecture’ in a competition by the Academia di S. Luca. Given that 7 of the 18 sketches in this album are concerned with an “idea for the reduction of a room in the Academia Romana di S. luca, used for public awards” it is possible that these were drafts, or fair copies fo those which de Romanis eventually submitted. Other sketches include plans of a fountain in the Villa di Tivoli, a plan for the construction of a religious hermitage and a small private house, a sepulchre in a church and a section of the Scala di Palmi.