DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73058#0079
Plates by Bartoloxxi still in Existence.
Among Bartolozzi's still-existent copperplates, whicli are in honourable hands, and not
used for the purposes of deception, the " Clytie" plate, it may be mentioned, belongs
to Messrs. Henry Graves & Co.; while Mr. Quaritch,* the well-known bookseller of
* Mr. Bernard Quaritch is also the possessor of the whole series of copperplates engraved by Hogarth, from
which, from first to last, some thousands of impressions have been taken. The vicissitudes they have undergone, and
the numerous changes in their ownership, form an instructive episode in the annals of fine-art publishing. After their
original issue as separate prints—some by Messrs. Boydell, of Cheapside, and others by Messrs. Laurie & Whittle, of
Fleet Street,—they were collected in book form, and published in 1790 by Messrs. Boydell, the volume containing one
hundred and three plates. In 1820-22 Messrs. Baldwin, Craddock & Joy, who had purchased the copperplates at the
sale of Boydell's stock, took up the re-publication of them. Heath, tlie engraver, was employed to repair and rebite the
whole series, and also to re-engrave several missing ones, for which his charge was upwards of £1,000. The collection
now numbered one hundred and nineteen plates, which were issued by Messrs. Baldwin in twenty-four parts at one guinea
each. Some further additions were afterwards made, the whole being sold in volume form at £30, or proofs on India
paper at £50. Some years afterwards, upon the failure of Messrs. Baldwin & Co., the plates were offered to that
veteran publisher, Mr. Henry G. Bohn, for 1,000 guineas, by Messrs. Salt & Co., the bankers, who held them as
security for an advance of £2,000 ; but as a monetary panic was then prevailing, he declined to give more than £500,
which offer was refused. After some further but futile negotiations, the plates were put up to public auction by Messrs.
Hodgson, the only real bidder being Mr. Bohn, who went up to £475 ; but the person representing the proprietors made,
unfortunately for them, a mistake by bidding guineas when he meant pounds, and, consequently, they were bought in.
Mr. Bohn thereupon refused to have anything more to say in the matter. But a year or so afterwards (about 1835), Mr.
Salt came to him to re-open negotiations, stating he was determined to realize the property. Mr. Bohn at first refused
to make a bid, but on being pressed, said, " Well, once for all, I'll make you a final offer of £250 ; and if you decline to
accept that, I will have nothing further to say." This offer was promptly accepted, and Mr. Bohn became the possessor
of the plates at exactly half the price he had previously offered for them. The coppers having again become worn, Mr.
Bohn had them thoroughly repaired by Ratcliff, of Birmingham, at the moderate cost of about £250 ; and no doubt he
made a considerable sum of money by their republication. Mr. Bohn also became the possessor of the two suppressed
plates, and of the smaller one known as the "Snuff Box" (engraved on silver), which he purchased from Hamlet, the
celebrated silversmith. These were also republished, and inserted in a pocket at the end of the volume. On Mr. Bohn's
retirement from business, he sold the plates to Messrs. Chatto & Windus, for £500, who continued the publication, until
they were tempted to sell them to Mr. Bernard Quaritch, their present possessor, who has had them again repaired at
a considerable cost, since which time he has continued to publish the work.
In John and Josiah Boydell's scarce catalogue of prints for 1803, they advertise copies of the original works of
William Hogarth, in one volume, imperial folio, in boards, £21, with the following explanation :—
" It having been supposed that the original plates were either destroyed, or repaired by other artists, it becomes
necessary to state the following facts : On Mr. Hogarth's death, his plates became the property of his widow, and during
the twenty-five years she survived him, the printing of them was necessarily entrusted to the management of others. From
this circumstance they were sometimes negligently and imperfectly taken off; and a report was spread that some of them
had been retouched. To refute this Mrs. Hogarth requested three eminent engravers to inspect the plates and give their
opinion, which they did in the following testimony: 'We whose names are underwritten, having carefully examined the
plates published by the late Mr. Hogarth, are fully convinced that they have not been retouched since his death.—Francis
Bartolozzi, W. Wynne Ryland, W. Woollett.' Soon after Mrs. Hogarth's death, Messrs. Boydell purchased all his plates,
and since tliey have been in their possession they have not been retouched or repaired : Hogarth's peculiar power of
manner in etching and engraving renders this unnecessary. Messrs. Boydell are, besides, of opinion, that as the printing
presses now in use are on an improved principle, the paper superior, and the art of printing better understood, impressions
are now printed more clearly and accurately than they have been at any preceding period."
Piccadilly, has in his possession the Holbein Heads; the Italian School of Design,
consisting of one hundred and fifty-two plates chiefly engraved by Bartolozzi; and the
Marlborough Collection of Gems, with one hundred examples engraved by him.
CHAPTER
59
Among Bartolozzi's still-existent copperplates, whicli are in honourable hands, and not
used for the purposes of deception, the " Clytie" plate, it may be mentioned, belongs
to Messrs. Henry Graves & Co.; while Mr. Quaritch,* the well-known bookseller of
* Mr. Bernard Quaritch is also the possessor of the whole series of copperplates engraved by Hogarth, from
which, from first to last, some thousands of impressions have been taken. The vicissitudes they have undergone, and
the numerous changes in their ownership, form an instructive episode in the annals of fine-art publishing. After their
original issue as separate prints—some by Messrs. Boydell, of Cheapside, and others by Messrs. Laurie & Whittle, of
Fleet Street,—they were collected in book form, and published in 1790 by Messrs. Boydell, the volume containing one
hundred and three plates. In 1820-22 Messrs. Baldwin, Craddock & Joy, who had purchased the copperplates at the
sale of Boydell's stock, took up the re-publication of them. Heath, tlie engraver, was employed to repair and rebite the
whole series, and also to re-engrave several missing ones, for which his charge was upwards of £1,000. The collection
now numbered one hundred and nineteen plates, which were issued by Messrs. Baldwin in twenty-four parts at one guinea
each. Some further additions were afterwards made, the whole being sold in volume form at £30, or proofs on India
paper at £50. Some years afterwards, upon the failure of Messrs. Baldwin & Co., the plates were offered to that
veteran publisher, Mr. Henry G. Bohn, for 1,000 guineas, by Messrs. Salt & Co., the bankers, who held them as
security for an advance of £2,000 ; but as a monetary panic was then prevailing, he declined to give more than £500,
which offer was refused. After some further but futile negotiations, the plates were put up to public auction by Messrs.
Hodgson, the only real bidder being Mr. Bohn, who went up to £475 ; but the person representing the proprietors made,
unfortunately for them, a mistake by bidding guineas when he meant pounds, and, consequently, they were bought in.
Mr. Bohn thereupon refused to have anything more to say in the matter. But a year or so afterwards (about 1835), Mr.
Salt came to him to re-open negotiations, stating he was determined to realize the property. Mr. Bohn at first refused
to make a bid, but on being pressed, said, " Well, once for all, I'll make you a final offer of £250 ; and if you decline to
accept that, I will have nothing further to say." This offer was promptly accepted, and Mr. Bohn became the possessor
of the plates at exactly half the price he had previously offered for them. The coppers having again become worn, Mr.
Bohn had them thoroughly repaired by Ratcliff, of Birmingham, at the moderate cost of about £250 ; and no doubt he
made a considerable sum of money by their republication. Mr. Bohn also became the possessor of the two suppressed
plates, and of the smaller one known as the "Snuff Box" (engraved on silver), which he purchased from Hamlet, the
celebrated silversmith. These were also republished, and inserted in a pocket at the end of the volume. On Mr. Bohn's
retirement from business, he sold the plates to Messrs. Chatto & Windus, for £500, who continued the publication, until
they were tempted to sell them to Mr. Bernard Quaritch, their present possessor, who has had them again repaired at
a considerable cost, since which time he has continued to publish the work.
In John and Josiah Boydell's scarce catalogue of prints for 1803, they advertise copies of the original works of
William Hogarth, in one volume, imperial folio, in boards, £21, with the following explanation :—
" It having been supposed that the original plates were either destroyed, or repaired by other artists, it becomes
necessary to state the following facts : On Mr. Hogarth's death, his plates became the property of his widow, and during
the twenty-five years she survived him, the printing of them was necessarily entrusted to the management of others. From
this circumstance they were sometimes negligently and imperfectly taken off; and a report was spread that some of them
had been retouched. To refute this Mrs. Hogarth requested three eminent engravers to inspect the plates and give their
opinion, which they did in the following testimony: 'We whose names are underwritten, having carefully examined the
plates published by the late Mr. Hogarth, are fully convinced that they have not been retouched since his death.—Francis
Bartolozzi, W. Wynne Ryland, W. Woollett.' Soon after Mrs. Hogarth's death, Messrs. Boydell purchased all his plates,
and since tliey have been in their possession they have not been retouched or repaired : Hogarth's peculiar power of
manner in etching and engraving renders this unnecessary. Messrs. Boydell are, besides, of opinion, that as the printing
presses now in use are on an improved principle, the paper superior, and the art of printing better understood, impressions
are now printed more clearly and accurately than they have been at any preceding period."
Piccadilly, has in his possession the Holbein Heads; the Italian School of Design,
consisting of one hundred and fifty-two plates chiefly engraved by Bartolozzi; and the
Marlborough Collection of Gems, with one hundred examples engraved by him.
CHAPTER
59