Lot 266
Rowlandson, Thomas
Rare Books, Maps & Manuscripts
Auction: 4 September 2013 at 12:00 BST
Description
Twenty caricature plates to illustrate the "tour to the Hebrides" by James Boswell. [London: E. Jackson, n.d.] Folio, title-page, list of plates and 20 engraved plates contained in a maroon gilt portfolio with blind-stamped decoration, c.1830-1850, some plates slightly darkened with a small amount of marginal dust-soiling and occasional neat repairs; [Idem] The picturesque beauties of Boswell... Edinburgh: National Library of Scotland, 1973. 4to, 20 loose plates (2)
Footnote
Note: This edition of the plates from Rowlandson's Picturesque Beauties of Boswell was used as the 'master-edition' for the National Library of Scotland's 1973 facsimile publication of the work. The engravings were first published in 1786 but the library felt that a later, nineteenth century reprint would provide a better quality of illustrations than the first edition. In the introduction to the facsimile, the library writes:
The present facsimile reporduces a set of the prints now in the National Library of Scotland. In spite of reasonably extensive enquiries, it has not been possible to determine the bibliographical standing of this set. It is bound, without title...
However, the present copy for sale does indeed have a title and a list of plates, making it very unusual.