DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73059#0051
Collecting Prints for Illustrating Books.
collection of historical interest, vastly more valuable as a whole than the prints were when
scattered. It is possible of course to spend large sums in this way. The British Museum
possesses a magnificent copy of Pennant's " History of London," bequeathed by Mr.
Crowle, whicli is said to have cost £7,000. The Bodleian library contains an illustrated
Clarendon and Burnet, formed by Mr. Sutherland, and continued by his widow, who
presented it to the library. This, perhaps the most magnificent pictorial history in
existence, cost in collecting upwards of £12,000, and contains close upon 19,000 prints and
drawings; the labour involved in bringing it together extended over forty years. The
collection fills sixty-seven folio volumes, and in it are included 731 portraits of Charles I.,
518 of Charles II., 352 of Cromwell, 273 of James II., and 20 of William III., all different
works, or distinct " states" of the same engraving. Certain works of limited scope are
tolerably easy to completely illustrate, and others on the contrary immensely difficult.
The late Mr. Forster during his lifetime attempted to illustrate Grainger's " Biographical
History of England," an herculean task which he continued until his death, when the
volumes were bequeathed to the South Kensington Museum. Strutt's "Dictionary of En-
gravers," or Bryan's " Dictionary of Painters and Engravers," would form a tolerably tough
job for the illustrator ; the names of the engravers may be counted by thousands, their
works by hundreds of thousands, and one or more examples at least of each engraver ought
to appear. Tasks of this sort have been attempted, but seldom satisfactorily completed.
In the library originally formed by Mr. Richard Bull, of Ongar, Essex (the intimate
friend of Horace Walpole), dispersed by Messrs. Sotheby, in April, 1880, Walpole's "Anec-
dotes of Painting," in fourteen imperial folio volumes, bound in russia by Staggemeier, and
magnificently illustrated with an immense number of drawings and rare engravings, in the
choicest states and in perfect preservation, to the collection of which Mr. Bull had devoted
many years, realized under the hammer the enormous sum of £1,800. The principal
booksellers and amateurs, and also the authorities of the British Museum, competed for
this prize, but it fell to Mr. Donaldson, a dealer.* In the same sale many other works
* The volumes were afterwards broken up, and their contents dispersed in a seven days' sale, by Messrs. Sotheby,
Wilkinson & Hodge, in May this year (1881). The drawings, including some fine Watteau's, realized £523 6s., and
the prints £1,650 os. 6d., giving a total of £2,173 6s. 6d., which, after deducting auctioneers' charges and expenses of
preparing the voluminous catalogue, extending to upwards of one hundred pages, would approximately bring the total
down to about the amount paid by Mr. Donaldson in the preceding year. Many of the rarer examples were purchased
on behalf of the British Museum.
enriched with collections of engravings realized high prices. A fine series of costume
plates and drawings was purchased for £251 by Mr. Sotheran, who also became the
possessor of Goldsmith's "Roman History" for £73. The following were some other
purchases : Lyson's "Environs of London," illustrated with engravings and drawings,
£71 (Toovey); Robertson's " History of Scotland," £80 (Ellis); " Description of the Villa
at Strawberry Hill, with an Inventory of the Furniture, Pictures, etc." (1784), extensively
illustrated with drawings and engravings, £110 (same buyer).
Amongst collectors who have commercially devoted their attention to illustrating
books, Mr. Francis Harvey, of St. James's Street, Pall Mall, is well known to those whose
purses will allow them to indulge their taste. Mr. Harvey's earlier life was spent in the
companionship of old books, and while with Mr. Toovey (who followed in the footsteps of
29 Payne
collection of historical interest, vastly more valuable as a whole than the prints were when
scattered. It is possible of course to spend large sums in this way. The British Museum
possesses a magnificent copy of Pennant's " History of London," bequeathed by Mr.
Crowle, whicli is said to have cost £7,000. The Bodleian library contains an illustrated
Clarendon and Burnet, formed by Mr. Sutherland, and continued by his widow, who
presented it to the library. This, perhaps the most magnificent pictorial history in
existence, cost in collecting upwards of £12,000, and contains close upon 19,000 prints and
drawings; the labour involved in bringing it together extended over forty years. The
collection fills sixty-seven folio volumes, and in it are included 731 portraits of Charles I.,
518 of Charles II., 352 of Cromwell, 273 of James II., and 20 of William III., all different
works, or distinct " states" of the same engraving. Certain works of limited scope are
tolerably easy to completely illustrate, and others on the contrary immensely difficult.
The late Mr. Forster during his lifetime attempted to illustrate Grainger's " Biographical
History of England," an herculean task which he continued until his death, when the
volumes were bequeathed to the South Kensington Museum. Strutt's "Dictionary of En-
gravers," or Bryan's " Dictionary of Painters and Engravers," would form a tolerably tough
job for the illustrator ; the names of the engravers may be counted by thousands, their
works by hundreds of thousands, and one or more examples at least of each engraver ought
to appear. Tasks of this sort have been attempted, but seldom satisfactorily completed.
In the library originally formed by Mr. Richard Bull, of Ongar, Essex (the intimate
friend of Horace Walpole), dispersed by Messrs. Sotheby, in April, 1880, Walpole's "Anec-
dotes of Painting," in fourteen imperial folio volumes, bound in russia by Staggemeier, and
magnificently illustrated with an immense number of drawings and rare engravings, in the
choicest states and in perfect preservation, to the collection of which Mr. Bull had devoted
many years, realized under the hammer the enormous sum of £1,800. The principal
booksellers and amateurs, and also the authorities of the British Museum, competed for
this prize, but it fell to Mr. Donaldson, a dealer.* In the same sale many other works
* The volumes were afterwards broken up, and their contents dispersed in a seven days' sale, by Messrs. Sotheby,
Wilkinson & Hodge, in May this year (1881). The drawings, including some fine Watteau's, realized £523 6s., and
the prints £1,650 os. 6d., giving a total of £2,173 6s. 6d., which, after deducting auctioneers' charges and expenses of
preparing the voluminous catalogue, extending to upwards of one hundred pages, would approximately bring the total
down to about the amount paid by Mr. Donaldson in the preceding year. Many of the rarer examples were purchased
on behalf of the British Museum.
enriched with collections of engravings realized high prices. A fine series of costume
plates and drawings was purchased for £251 by Mr. Sotheran, who also became the
possessor of Goldsmith's "Roman History" for £73. The following were some other
purchases : Lyson's "Environs of London," illustrated with engravings and drawings,
£71 (Toovey); Robertson's " History of Scotland," £80 (Ellis); " Description of the Villa
at Strawberry Hill, with an Inventory of the Furniture, Pictures, etc." (1784), extensively
illustrated with drawings and engravings, £110 (same buyer).
Amongst collectors who have commercially devoted their attention to illustrating
books, Mr. Francis Harvey, of St. James's Street, Pall Mall, is well known to those whose
purses will allow them to indulge their taste. Mr. Harvey's earlier life was spent in the
companionship of old books, and while with Mr. Toovey (who followed in the footsteps of
29 Payne