COOKE'S THAMES SCENERY 1822 LARGE PAPER ISSUE ON INDIA PAPER
[Scenery on the Thames. By W B Cooke]. [London , W B Cooke, 1822].
Tall folio [37 cm], comprising 75 engraved plates engraved mostly by W B Cooke after various artists, each one a proof impression on India paper, with tissue interleaves, no title page [as issued], finely bound in contemporary dark purple straight grained morocco, the sides ornately gilt decorated with a scallop and floral pattern, spine gilt within flat raised bands, all edges gilt, slightly rubbed and with minor wear to corners and spine ends, the foot of spine with a tiny chip, many plates lightly foxed at edges, but not to the engraved surfaces which are quite clean throughout, a fine copy.
FIRST EDITION OF THIS COLLECTION, INDIA PAPER PROOFS, LARGE PAPER ISSUE; as usual without the octavo sized accompanying volume of Descriptions of the Views, dated 1822.
An excellent description of this fine set of views, is provided in Bernard Adams' London Illustrated 1604-1851.
This work is a new edition of a set of prints after drawings by Samuel Owen and published first in 1811; this new edition includes many new views, and adds artistic or romantic settings to others to suit the mood for the picturesque of the times.
It was advertised in Royal Quarto, Imperial Quarto, 'and a small number to be taken off on India paper, Proof'.
The present copy is one of the last named, the earliest state of the plates, which has always been regarded as the most desirable; it sold originally for £15. The work itself is a superb portrayal of Thames scenery from its source, or head, to Southend in 75 plates.
Adams points out that only 38 of Owen's original views from 1811 are retained, 'all re-engraved and transformed by W B Cooke; 14 views are after Peter de Wint, and four after Louis Francia which are 'evidence of the fascination that Thames river craft, shipbuilding and shipbreaking exercised on a number of artists of the period.'
This excellent and attractive copy bears the heraldic bookplate of the Victorian collector of fine topography and other subjects, James Comerford.
FSA [1807-81], whose fine library was sold at Sothebys in 1881. Cohen, pp 138-140, describing the standard folio edition, which was issued with title page and list of plates.
Price: £750.00
[Scenery on the Thames. By W B Cooke]. [London , W B Cooke, 1822].
Tall folio [37 cm], comprising 75 engraved plates engraved mostly by W B Cooke after various artists, each one a proof impression on India paper, with tissue interleaves, no title page [as issued], finely bound in contemporary dark purple straight grained morocco, the sides ornately gilt decorated with a scallop and floral pattern, spine gilt within flat raised bands, all edges gilt, slightly rubbed and with minor wear to corners and spine ends, the foot of spine with a tiny chip, many plates lightly foxed at edges, but not to the engraved surfaces which are quite clean throughout, a fine copy.
FIRST EDITION OF THIS COLLECTION, INDIA PAPER PROOFS, LARGE PAPER ISSUE; as usual without the octavo sized accompanying volume of Descriptions of the Views, dated 1822.
An excellent description of this fine set of views, is provided in Bernard Adams' London Illustrated 1604-1851.
This work is a new edition of a set of prints after drawings by Samuel Owen and published first in 1811; this new edition includes many new views, and adds artistic or romantic settings to others to suit the mood for the picturesque of the times.
It was advertised in Royal Quarto, Imperial Quarto, 'and a small number to be taken off on India paper, Proof'.
The present copy is one of the last named, the earliest state of the plates, which has always been regarded as the most desirable; it sold originally for £15. The work itself is a superb portrayal of Thames scenery from its source, or head, to Southend in 75 plates.
Adams points out that only 38 of Owen's original views from 1811 are retained, 'all re-engraved and transformed by W B Cooke; 14 views are after Peter de Wint, and four after Louis Francia which are 'evidence of the fascination that Thames river craft, shipbuilding and shipbreaking exercised on a number of artists of the period.'
This excellent and attractive copy bears the heraldic bookplate of the Victorian collector of fine topography and other subjects, James Comerford.
FSA [1807-81], whose fine library was sold at Sothebys in 1881. Cohen, pp 138-140, describing the standard folio edition, which was issued with title page and list of plates.
Price: £750.00
J & S Wilbraham Antiquarian Books
