217.5 Megabytes, 26 total images. Resized digital scans of the John Wayt Cosby Architectural Drawings are available through
the Hampden-Sydney Archives & Special Collections' Digital Repository.
Quantity
5 Volumes, 5 optical discs containing original scans
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Existence and Location of Copies
Digital scans of the sketches are available on the Hampden-Sydney College Archives & Special Collections' Digital Repository.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], John Wayt Cosby Architectural Drawings, SC 000108, Hampden-Sydney College Archives and Special Collections,
Hampden-Sydney, VA
Processing Information
Processed by: Mary Prevo, 2014. Machine-readable finding aid created from previous inventories by: Sarah Almond, 2021 February.
"John Wayt Cosby (March 13, 1815-July 13, 1867), a son of the prominent brick builder Dabney Cosby, was one of several antebellum
builders who developed design skills and established an identity as an architect. Working in a range of revival styles popular
in the 1840s and 1850s and maintaining a close relationship with his father, he was the architect for several substantial
buildings including some erected by the older man." Author: Catherine W. Bishir. Contributor: J. Marshall Bullock. From North Carolina Architects & Builders, a Biographical Dictionary
The drawings in this collection include Specifications and Drawings for Spiers House, Raleigh, NC, 1862. The Spiers house
was never constructed, and little information has been found regarding the Spiers family. Plans for the house offer a glimpse
into antebellum architecture, in particular plans for a structure intended to house not only a family but enslaved servants.
Spiers House, No 22 Section of a Window Frame and No 23 Section of the Casings and Jamb Linings of Doors
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Drawings of full size detailed section of windows and doors with notes specifying materials and methods of construction. Good
condition; minor losses to edges; lined with mulberry paper repairs. Signed: "John W. Cosby archt / Raleigh / Jan 14th 1862
NC"
2 drawings, sheet 42.6 x 66 cm, 16 7/8 x 26 in. Note horizontal orientation.
Bessie A. Batchats1875Bust-length profile portrait of a balding man facing left. He wears a carefully tied cravat and dark frock coat. Signed l.r."
Bessie A. Batchats [?] / Raleigh 1875" Condition: Poor, paper has an arched top, Acid mat burn. Horizontal tear from left
side three-quarters across the image at the subject's chin; tear at nape of neck; chips from the side and top edges; evidence
of water damage across lower half. Note: verso in ball point pen and pencil "Kemp Plummer / HSC 1786". Verso image shared
shelf #12629263.
Spiers House [blank fourth page of written specifications for construction]
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Page 4 of four-page folio (blank). Related to shared shelf numbers 12629265 and 12629267. Consider not publishing to Shared
Shelf.
Bessie A. Batchats1875Verso of bust-length profile portrait of a balding man facing left. Condition: Poor, paper has an arched top, acid mat burn,
horizontal tear from right side three-quarters across the image, chips from the side and top edges, evidence of water damage
across lower half. Inscription top center in ball point pen and pencil "Kemp Plummer / HSC 1786". Note: related to image of
recto, shared shelf #12629260.
Spiers House, Specifications to Accompany Plans of a House for J. B. Spiers Esq.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Detailed specifications for Spiers house including requirements for materials and construction. Written in longhand. Page
1 of four-page folio (pages 2 and 4 blank). Condition: good. Note: related to continuation of specifications on interior(page
3) of folio, shared shelf # 12629267.
Spiers House, Written specifications for house construction, pages 2 and 3
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Detailed specifications for Spiers house including requirements for materials and construction. Interior of folio, pages 2
and 3. Condition: good. Note: Related to page 1 of specifications, shared shelf #12629265.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Scaled first floor plan, numbered plan 2. Signed: "John W Cosby Archt/ Raleigh/ Jan 14 1862 N.C." Condition, good, some mulberry
paper repairs on back to small edge tears.
1 drawing, sheet, 52.7 x 36.5 cm, 20 3/4 x 14 3/8 in. Note vertical orientation.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Second floor plan of house. Signed: "John W Cosby archt/Raleigh/Jan 14 1862 N.C." Condition: Good, some mulberry paper repairs
on back to small edge tears. Note: related to image of verso, Shared Shelf #12629277.
1 drawing, sheet, 52.7 x 36.8 cm, 20 3/4 x 14 1/2 in. Note vertical orientation.
Spiers House, Verso of Plan No. 3 with penciled redrawing of plan.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Pencil redrawing of second floor plan reflecting changes (/). Unsigned and undated. Condition: good. Note: verso of related
to Shared Shelf #12629275.
1 drawing, sheet 52.7 x 36.5 cm. 20 3/4 x 14 3/8 in. Note vertical orientation.
Spiers House, Plan No. 4, Section Through on Line A(subscript 1) A(subscript2)
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Cross section of main house through principal formal rooms. Signed: "John W Cosby Archt/ Raleigh/ Jan 14, 1862/ N.C. " Condition:
good
1 drawing, sheet 30.7 x 44.5 cm, 12 1/8 x 17 1/2 in. Note horizontal orientation.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Colored presentation drawing, elevation of east side of house, principal facade. Labeled, "Plan No 6". Signed, "John W Cosby
Architect/Raleigh/Jan 14th 1862/NC". Condition, good; some staining and foxing on perimeter of support, some mulberry paper
repairs on verso to small edge tears.
1 drawing, sheet 33.6 x 45 cm, 13 1/4 x 17 3/4 in. Note: horizontal orientation.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Colored presentation drawing, elevation of south side of house. Labeled, "Plan No 7". Signed, "John W Cosby Architect/ Jan
14th 1862 Raleigh/NC". Condition, good; corner losses and some mulberry paper repairs on back to small edge tears.
1 drawing, sheet 33.6 x 52.3 cm, 13 1/4 x 20 5/8 in. Note: horizontal orientation.
Spiers House, No 9, Cornice and Cantilever of Main Building
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Full scale, detail of the upper frieze of the main building cornice including a section through the gutter and details of
moldings for the bed mold and cantilever brackets. Unsigned. Condition: good with some corner and edge losses, lined with
mulberry paper.
1 drawing, sheet 66 x 97.7 cm, 26 x 38 1/2 in. Note: horizontal orientation.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Colored presentation drawing, elevation of north side of house. Labeled, "Plan No 8". Signed, "John W Cosby Architect/Jan
14th 1862 Raleigh/NC". Condition, good; corner losses and some mulberry paper repairs on back to small edge tears.
1 drawing, sheet 31 x 52.5 cm, 12 1/4 x 20 3/4 in. Note: horizontal orientation.
Spiers House, Plan No. 1, Plan of Foundation, and Plan No. 5, Framing of Front
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Plan of stone foundations (No. 1) and plan of timber framing for the facade wall (No. 5) including notes as to size of beams
and method of joining. Signed and dated: "John W. Cosby archt/ Jan 14th 1862, Raliegh/NC". Condition: has sustained vertical
tears through image, stabilized with mulberry paper lining.
1 drawing, sheet 50.8 x 66 cm, 20 x 26 in. Note: horizontal orientation.
Spiers House, No. 10 Front Face of Cantilever of Cornice for Center Building and Tower
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Full-sized detail drawing of the front face of the main building and tower cornice bracket (cantilever) including acanthus,
tongue-and-dart, bead-and-double-reel moldings. Signed: "John W Cosby Archt/ Raleigh/Jan 14th 1862 N.C." Condition: good,
some minor corner losses, lined with mulberry paper.
1 drawing, sheet 67.3 x 48.7 cm, 26 1/2 x 19 1/4 in. Note: vertical orientation.
Spiers House, No. 11 and No. 12, Cornice of Portico and Bay Window, Full Size, side and front elevation
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Full-size, side and front elevation drawings for the exterior eaves and cornice of the portico and bay window, including details
of gutter and interlacing pendant eaves arcades. Architectural moldings include acanthus, tongue-and-dart, bead-and-reel,
rosettes, and scrolls. Each drawing individually signed and dated: "John W Cosby, Archt/ Jan 14, 1862/ Raleigh, N.C."
2 drawings, sheet 66 x 55.3 cm, 26 x 21 3/4 in. Note vertical orientation.
Spiers House, No. 13, Cornice and Console of Window Head and No. 14, Window and Door Facing
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Two drawings on a single sheet including detailed drawing to scale of cornice and console of window head for interior windows
in principal rooms, calling for acanthus, rosette, and scroll decorative carving and a section for a typical window and door
facing. Each drawing individually signed, "John W Cosby Archt/ Jan 14th 1862/ Raleigh NC". Condition: good, lined with mulberry
paper, some corner losses. Drawing No. 13 continued on separate sheet, Shared Shelf #12629319.
2 drawings, sheet 66 x 43.8 cm, 26 x 17 1/4 in. Note vertical orientation.
Spiers House, No 15, 16, 17, and 18, Front Door and Portico
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Sheet of four drawings including a small scale elevation of the front door, fanlight, side panels and lights (no. 18), full
scale renderings of portico column (no. 15), capital (no. 16), and base (no. 17). Each drawing individually signed and dated,
"John W Cosby/ Raleigh / Jan 14 1862 N.C." Condition: poor, lined with mulberry paper, multiple cracks through images and
losses in images, but clearly legible.
4 drawings, sheet 66.2 x 93.6 cm. 26 1.8 x 36 7/8 in. Note orientation varied depending on drawing.
Spiers House, No 19, No 20, No 21 Cornice and Console and Base Block of Doors of Parlour and Dining Room
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Side and front elevation of cornice, console and base block of parlor and dining rooms decorated with scrolling acanthus,
rosette, bead and reel, egg and dart, and bead and reel moldings. Condition: good with some edge tears, lined with mulberry
(?) paper. Signed: John W Cosby Archt / Raleigh / Jan 14th 1862 / NC
3 drawings, sheet 55.3 x 66 cm, 21 3/4 in. x 26 in. Note vertical orientation.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862One sheet with three drawings, each labeled separately: no. 24 detail plans of window; no. 25 plan and sections for fireplace
(information on the mantel missing); and no. 26 section detail for 'wash board' Poor condition; lined with mulberry (?) paper;
substantial losses to upper left of drawing. Each numbered detail and plan separately signed "John W Cosby archt / Jan 14th
1862 Raleigh / NC"
3 drawings, sheet 47.5 x 58.5 cm, 18 7/8 x 23 in. Note orientation vertical.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Image of an actual scale drawing of specifications for weatherboard. Includes instructions for fabrication and finish. Condition:
good. [unsigned] "No. 27 / Plan of Weatherboarding" In-house finding aid item number 23
1 drawing, sheet 48 x 61 cm, 18 7/8 x 24 in. Note horizontal orientation.
Spiers House, architectural detail (extension of another drawing?)
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Unsigned, the bottom part of an acanthus decoration in profile. Must be an extension on another drawing. Condition: good Note:
This drawing is an extension of another drawing, suspect record 12629
1 drawing, sheet 61 x 47 cm, 24 x 18 1/2 in. Note vertical orientation.
Spiers House, Cornice Molding and Architrave, unlabeled (lower extension of No. 9)
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Unsigned. Full-scale detail of cornice molding and architrave, this drawing is the lower extension of "Plan No. 9, Cornice
and Cantilever of Main Building," showing a profile view of lower half from wall from volute scroll to architrave. Unsigned.
Condition: good with some corner losses and some mulberry paper repairs on verso to edge tears. Note: relates to image of
verso, shared shelf # 12629292 and to the rest of the image, Drawing No. 9, Interior Cornice Molding Detail, shared shelf
# 126263.
1 drawing, sheet 58.5 x 48.6 cm, 23 19 1/4 in. Note: vertical orientation.
Cosby, John W., 1815-18671862Reverse of drawing - pencil sketch of moldings barely visible through mulberry backing paper. Note: Relates to recto, shared
shelf # 12629322.