Charles Courtenay, 19th Earl of Devon, holds open a volume titled A catalogue of the honorable Sir William Courtenay’s library at Powderham-Castle Devon. Sir William, 3rd Baronet (and later 1st Viscount), who inherited Powderham in 1735, was a Jacobite and undertook major changes to the castle. As part of that work in 1740, two bookcases made of rosewood with inlaid brass were delivered to store some of his collection. (Image credit: Millie Pilkington for Country Life / Future)An engraved-brass plaque records that they were made by John Channon, a virtuoso London cabinetmaker who began his career in Exeter. Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.