Sims Reed Rare Books×

Scotland Delineated in a Series of Views ... with Historical, Antiquarian and Descriptive Letterpress

Turner, Roberts, Nash et al. Lawson, John Parker

London. E. Gambart & Co. / Joseph Hogarth. 1854
Sold
The magnificent Scotland Delineated in the extremely rare hand-coloured state.

One of the major achievements of British topographical lithography and an extremely attractive book of British scenery. The hand-coloured lithographs are, in the main, after drawings of Scottish scenery commissioned especially for the work from the foremost landscapists of the day by Joseph Hogarth, the publisher. The outstanding plates combined with the outstanding scenery they depict give the work a dramatic grandeur that is unparalleled in British topographical illustration.

Among the artists represented (in the order they appear on the title) are J. M. W. Turner (2 plates), Sir W. Allan (2 plates), Clarkson Stanfield (4 plates), George Cattermole (11 plates), W. L. Leitch (16 plates), Thomas Creswick (3 plates), David Roberts (14 plates), J. D. Harding (4 plates), Joseph Nash (2 plates), Horation MucCulloch (5 plates), D. O. Hill (1 plate) and W. A. Nesfield (2 plates). The lithographs were drawn by Harding, Carrick, Gauci, Needham and others.

This issue, with the plates hand-coloured and mounted on card, is of extreme rarity: only three copies (one incomplete) have appeared at auction in the last 35 years. Martin Hardie in 'English Coloured Books' makes no mention of a coloured issue, noting only that by '1850 the method of toned lithograph was becoming out of date' and that many of the books issued with such illustrations were 'admirably adapted for hand-colouring'.

'In 1847, such distinguished artists as David Roberts, Stanfield, J. D. Harding, Nash, and others, joined in illustrating ... a book entitled Scotland Delineated.' (Martin Hardie).

'In the 'List of Plates' in the volume of text, Number 3, 'Holyrood Palace', is followed by the entry 'Holyrood Palace from the South-Eastern side of the Calton Hill'. This plate was never issued, the entry being a duplicate of Number 3.' (Abbey).

[Abbey Scenery 493; not in Tooley; see Martin Hardie, English Coloured Books, pg. 248 - 249].
pp. 198; 199 - 308. 2 vols. Folio. Half-title, printed title to each volume, leaf with Joseph Hogarth's dedication 'To the Queen', leaf with contents, leaf with list of plates with each artist and lithographer named and 90 hand-coloured lithograph plates, after various artists by Harding, Carrick, Gauci, Needham and so on. Each plate coloured by hand and mounted on thick card. Contemporary green half-morocco, banded spine with title gilt and gilt decoration composed of crowned thistles in a cruciform motif in seven compartments, marbled endpapers, a.e.g., later cloth slipcases.
#40607

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