LONDON.- London then and London now: in a city rich with history and in a year full of anniversaries, Daniel Crouch Rare Books’ collection of London prints has something for every occasion.

Deciding what to write or not write about in the year of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death? Wenceslaus Hollar’s most famous work, the Long View of London (£250,000), features the original Globe Theatre at the lower left edge, but be careful: Hollar mislabelled it, getting it confused with the Swan Theatre next door.

Thinking about the 350th anniversary of the Fire of London? Gabriel Gualdo Priorato’s panorama of London from the Thames depicts the city in flames, as the old St Paul’s Cathedral goes up in smoke (£1500).

Wondering how long London has been a style centre as Fashion Week approaches? Benjamin Read’s prints of parading beauties and suave dandies wearing the latest in 1841 fashions show the capital has long led the way (£4000).

Remembering the 350th anniversary of the end of the First English Civil War? Rombout van den Hoeye’s print (£2500) showing a victorious Oliver Cromwell ­­poised in front of the city is an important reminder of how different our country could have been.

The collection also includes a stunning range of panoramas showing London and the Thames over time. At one end is Johannes Kip’s A Prospect of the City of London, Westminster and St. James’s Park, (c.1726, £60,000), a perspective view from the roof of Buckingham Palace, the park is shown teeming with life: deer being hand-fed, cows waiting to be milked, beggars, orange-sellers and, most important, George I and the Prince and Princess of Wales in Royal; at the other is Frederick Birnie’s beautiful nineteenth century view from the roof of Albion Mills, when London is a fully industrialised city (£20,000).

London may always be moving forwards, perhaps even into independence, but these prints show there is plenty to look back to.