£245
Book Plate for the Prime Ministers Library (large version), 1931
Unmounted (ref: 5668)
Line engraving
printed from original copper plate: 7 x 4 1/4 in. (17.3 x 10.8 cm.), (cancelled)
Provenance: The Artist's Estate; Private collection
Austin designed and engraved many bookplates, the most notable of which was made for the Prime Minister's Library at 10 Downing Street, instituted by Ramsay MacDonald in 1931. Depicting Britains most famous front door, Austin's engraving followed a design by Design by Sir William Rothenstein (1873-1945), who was at the time Principal of the RCA.
Other official commissions for the government included Austins acting as advisor to the Bank of England, between 1956 - 1961, in which capacity he designed the one pound and ten shilling notes issued in 1960 and 1961 respectively. These were the first bank of England notes to bear the monarch's portrait.
