Wilson, Robert F.; Battersby, B.K. The British Colour Council Dictionary of Colours for Interior Decoration. British Colour Council, 1949. 8vo (3 vols). Two swatch volumes in red leather-bound screw-fastening binders, accompanying text volume in full red leather, all with silver titles and Colour Council device on upper boards, spines of swatch volumes lettered in silver; 21 fold-out sheets of colour swatches across Vols 1 and 2, with black card viewing strip loosely inserted in pocket at front of both; Vol 3 pp. xxi, blank, 28 of explanatory text and colour histories. 10 pile samples damaged or missing over both volumes, otherwise complete; ex-library copy with small class stickers to spines of swatch volumes, small marginal stamps to versos of first colour swatch sheets in both and library bookplates tipped in at front, Vol. 3 with library bookplate on upper pastedown and stamp to verso of title page. Limited edition, no. 4603 of 7500. A scarce colour sample, hard to find in good condition because of its usual use as a working tool. The Council was a working standards organisation, active from the 1930s to the 50s, which codified colour definitions - they were the people who determined ''Battleship Grey'' (CC 322). Their codes were the standard for organisations such as the British Army, RIBA and the Post Office. Although largely supplanted by British Standards codes they remain standards for such things as academic dress and horticulture - for which the Council produced a book in 1938. This collection was produced after it was realised that their first work (Dictionary of Colour Standards) had a bias towards textiles. This was produced to suit a wider range of applications. There are 35 colours for which no pile sample is included because ''it was not considered advisable to dye that particular colour on pile fabric owing to the possibility of fading or discolouring in a comparatively short space of time.'' (3 p. xiii).