Lot 47
India
Collection of sketchbooks attributed to Colonel Edward Mayne Alexander (1840-1916)
Auction: The Library of General Sir James Alexander | Wed 25 February from 10am | Lots 31 to 62
Description
Oblong 4to (18.4 x 25.2cm), quarter leather, containing 17 sketches in watercolour, pen and ink or pencil, on rectos and versos of 25 leaves of coloured paper (15 leaves blank), with 4 loose leaves of artist's card inserted (embossed stamp 'Goodall's Bristol Board'), occasional manuscript captions, relating to buildings and landscapes in India, including Sonapet Valley, one double page watercolour of an unidentified landscape, loose card leaves include sketches of a perilous horse-drawn carriage journey across a mountainous terrain, binding defective with some leaves loose;
oblong 4to (13.8 22.5cm), cloth, containing 26 sketches (watercolour, pen and ink or pencil), various dimensions, on rectos and versos of 16 leaves of paper mostly interleaved with tissue paper, occasional manuscript captions, sketches date from 1891, including depiction of journey from Gujrat to Bimber [Bhimber] in India 27.9.91 (further depictions of the journey can be found on the loose card leaves inserted in the previous volume), landscapes (pen and watercolour depiction of Rajaore [Rajouri?] in Kashmir, rough pencil sketches of buildings, landscapes, local people, an elephant, various pencil notes at rear, some dampstaining at front and rear of sketchbook, tissue paper creased and stained, lower board stained;
oblong 4to (12.7 x 17.5cm), quarter leather, containing c. 40 sketches (watercolour, pen and ink or pencil), various dimensions, on rectos and versos of 33 leaves of coloured paper (3 leaves blank), occasional manuscript captions, sketches made in the 1880s and possibly later, some double-page, including buildings, landscapes in various locations, in India: Amber, Secundra [Secundra Bagh palace courtyard at Lucknow], Futtehpore [Fatehpur] Sikiri, Agra, Nainital, Jhansi Fort; in Scotland: 78 Highlanders Indian Rebellion Monument (Edinburgh), Lochgilphead;
oblong 4to (12.7 x 17.5cm), quarter leather, containing c. 30 sketches (watercolour and pencil), various dimensions, on rectos and versos of 35 leaves of coloured paper (1 leaf blank), occasional manuscript captions dated 1889-91, some double-page, including buildings, landscapes in India, Himalayas, Bageshwar, Jawali, Gwalior and other places;
oblong 4to (13.9 x 22.5cm), quarter leather, containing c. 40 sketches (watercolour and pencil), various dimensions, on rectos and versos of 38 leaves of coloured paper, with pasted-in albumen print photograph (11.2 x 19.1cm) of Edward Mayne Alexander sitting in a room in his house in India in the 1880s adorned with animal trophies and shields and swords, almost none of the sketches are captioned or dated, they include landscapes (some double-page) and 4 portraits of Indian men (2 with camels), one leaf loose;
and 5 other smaller format oblong sketchbooks (9-12 x 14-15.5cm), cloth and leather, containing sketches (watercolour, pen and ink or pencil) from 1879-early 1880s, of landscapes, including the Middle East (possibly en route to India) and humorous caricatures of various people, including passengers on board ship (10)
Provenance
THE LIBRARY OF GENERAL SIR JAMES EDWARD ALEXANDER (1805-1883)