Lot 46
Alexander, Edward Mayne (1846-1916)
Sketchbooks of travels in Canada, Morocco & Gibraltar, 1867-8
Auction: The Library of General Sir James Alexander | Wed 25 February from 10am | Lots 31 to 62
Description
4to (26.5 x 21cm), half skiver, containing approx. 115 sketches in watercolour, pen and ink or pencil, various dimensions, mounted to rectos and versos of 38 leaves, manuscript captions throughout (often initialled and dated), the first 25 or so relating to Morocco (including street scenes and local peoples in Tangiers, and views on the way to Tetuan and Ceuta), most of the remaining pictures relating to Canada (Quebec and Canada West, i.e. Ontario), including sleigh rides (in Phillips Square and elsewhere), tobogganing (including on Esdaile’s Hill), ice-skating at Victoria rink, snowshoeing, ice-cutting on the St Lawrence, views of Quebec City and Montreal, views in and around Hamilton and Niagara, portraits, and more, with a few watercolours of French soldiers at rear, binding defective;
oblong folio (28 x 40.5cm), cloth, 50 sketches (watercolour, pen and ink or pencil), various dimensions, mounted mainly to rectos only, manuscript captions throughout, subjects including caricatures (e.g. a series showing the behaviour of different classes of soldier under fire; a woman straddling a bayonet; a humorous comparison of family life in England, showing a disconsolate man with a cradle of crying children, and Australia, the children replaced with bags of gold dust), several views and scenes in Gibraltar and Algeciras, etc.), 14 additional sketches (including watercolours) loosely inserted, spine perished (2)
Provenance
THE LIBRARY OF SIR JAMES EDWARD ALEXANDER (1803-1885)
Footnote
Edward Mayne Alexander was the eldest son of General Sir James Edward Alexander. He was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia during his father's lengthy posting in Canada, and was commissioned into the 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot in 1866. He later travelled with his regiment to India, serving as inspector of gymnasia in Bombay.