Henry Faulkner apparently completed just the one binding for Mrs. Bliss.
Ægidus de Roma du Gouvernement des Princes et des Roys [Manuscript of the XIIIth Century, upon vellum, with illuminations, curiously bound in russia, gilt leaves, by Faulkner]
1826 sale, lot 83
References
Ellic Howe.—A list of London bookbinders, 1648-1815.—London : Bibliographical Society, 1950.
Charles Ramsden.—London bookbinders, 1780-1840.—London : Batsford, 1956.
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
The Bliss binders: Bohn
John Bohn was born in Germany in 1757, came to England in 1790, and started up on his own in London in 1795. He bound until 1815 and then took to bookselling. He died in 1845. His son was the famous mid-nineteenth-century publisher H.G. Bohn. He completed eight bindings for Mrs. Bliss.
Beaumont’s (Albanis) Travels through the Rhetian Alps in 1786, from Italy to Germany through Tyrol, map and coloured plates, green morocco, gilt leaves, by Bohn 1792
1826 sale, lot 94
A Collection of Flowers, drawn, after Nature, and disposed of in an ornamental and picturesque manner, 64 coloured plates, calf extra, marble leaves by Bohn 1793
1826 sale, lot 158
Costume of Great Britain, 60 coloured plates with descriptions, by W. H. Pyne; Costume of the Russian Army, 9 coloured plates, and 5 coloured plates; Costume of China, with descriptions in Fr. and Eng., in 1 vol, red morocco, gilt leaves, by Bohn
1826 sale, lot 135
EDWARDS’S (GEO.) NATURAL HISTORY of Birds, and Gleanings in Natural History, Fr. and Eng., 7 vols, AN ORIGINAL COPY, the plates beautifully coloured, russia, marble leaves, by Bohn 1748-1806
1826 sale, lot 216
Italian Scenery; representing the Manners, Customs, and Amusements of the different States of Italy, 32 coloured engravings by Godby, from Drawings by Lerberghi, red morocco, gilt leaves, by Bohn 1806
1826 sale, lot 250
Landi’s (G.) Architectural Decorations of original designs invented from the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, &c. for exterior and interior Decoration of Galleries, Halls, Apartments, &c. coloured plates, blue morocco, gilt leaves, by Bohn 1810
1826 sale, lot 285
SOLVYNS (F. B.) HINDOUS, ou Description de leurs Mœurs, Coutumes et Ceremonies, 4 vols, a multitude of coloured engravings, with descriptions in Fr. and Eng. red morocco, elegant, broad gold border, joints, gilt leaves, by Bohn Paris 1808
1826 sale, lot 345
Thomson’s (Jas.) Seasons, illustrated with engravings by Bartolozzi and Tomkins, from pictures by Hamilton, finely coloured, red morocco, elegant, gilt leaves, by Bohn Bensley 1807
1826 sale, lot 442
References
Ellic Howe.—A list of London bookbinders, 1648-1815.—London : Bibliographical Society, 1950.
Howard M. Nixon & Mirjam M. Foot.—The history of decorated bookbinding in England.—Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1992.
Charles Ramsden.—London bookbinders, 1780-1840.—London : Batsford, 1956.
Beaumont’s (Albanis) Travels through the Rhetian Alps in 1786, from Italy to Germany through Tyrol, map and coloured plates, green morocco, gilt leaves, by Bohn 1792
1826 sale, lot 94
A Collection of Flowers, drawn, after Nature, and disposed of in an ornamental and picturesque manner, 64 coloured plates, calf extra, marble leaves by Bohn 1793
1826 sale, lot 158
Costume of Great Britain, 60 coloured plates with descriptions, by W. H. Pyne; Costume of the Russian Army, 9 coloured plates, and 5 coloured plates; Costume of China, with descriptions in Fr. and Eng., in 1 vol, red morocco, gilt leaves, by Bohn
1826 sale, lot 135
EDWARDS’S (GEO.) NATURAL HISTORY of Birds, and Gleanings in Natural History, Fr. and Eng., 7 vols, AN ORIGINAL COPY, the plates beautifully coloured, russia, marble leaves, by Bohn 1748-1806
1826 sale, lot 216
Italian Scenery; representing the Manners, Customs, and Amusements of the different States of Italy, 32 coloured engravings by Godby, from Drawings by Lerberghi, red morocco, gilt leaves, by Bohn 1806
1826 sale, lot 250
Landi’s (G.) Architectural Decorations of original designs invented from the Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, &c. for exterior and interior Decoration of Galleries, Halls, Apartments, &c. coloured plates, blue morocco, gilt leaves, by Bohn 1810
1826 sale, lot 285
SOLVYNS (F. B.) HINDOUS, ou Description de leurs Mœurs, Coutumes et Ceremonies, 4 vols, a multitude of coloured engravings, with descriptions in Fr. and Eng. red morocco, elegant, broad gold border, joints, gilt leaves, by Bohn Paris 1808
1826 sale, lot 345
Thomson’s (Jas.) Seasons, illustrated with engravings by Bartolozzi and Tomkins, from pictures by Hamilton, finely coloured, red morocco, elegant, gilt leaves, by Bohn Bensley 1807
1826 sale, lot 442
References
Ellic Howe.—A list of London bookbinders, 1648-1815.—London : Bibliographical Society, 1950.
Howard M. Nixon & Mirjam M. Foot.—The history of decorated bookbinding in England.—Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1992.
Charles Ramsden.—London bookbinders, 1780-1840.—London : Batsford, 1956.
The Bliss binders: Benedict
Baumgarten and Benedict.] Two German binders, in this country, of considerable employment and reputation in their day. Substantial volumes in russia, with marbled edges, are the chief characteristics of their bibliopegistic atchievements.—'non omnia possumus omnes.'—DIBDIN.
1826 sale, lot 520
A
Missal MS. on Vellum, with 26
beautiful Miniatures, exquisitely finished representing Life, Death, and
Sufferings of Christ, Interment, Pentecost, the Evangelists, Jewish Ceremonies,
&c. with rich broad emblematical borders throughout, bound in velvet, silk inside, &c. by Benedict
1826 sale, lot 477
Repton’s (H.)
Observations on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, coloured
plates; russia, marble leaves, by
Benedict 1805
1826 sale, lot 422
Smith’s (Geo.)
Collection of Designs for Household Furniture, and Interior Decoration, 158
coloured plates, calf extra, gilt leaves,
by Benedict 1808
1826 sale, lot 433References
Ellic Howe.—A list of London bookbinders, 1648-1815.—London : Bibliographical Society, 1950.
Thomas Frognall Dibdin.—The bibliographical decameron; or, Ten days pleasant discourse upon illuminated manuscripts, and subjects connected with early engraving, typography, and bibliography.—3 vol.—London : Printed for the author, 1817.
Charles Ramsden.—London bookbinders, 1780-1840.—London : Batsford, 1956.
Saturday, 9 November 2013
Oriental MSS in the 1826 Bliss sale
The title-page of the 1826 sale of Mrs. Bliss's Bibliotheca Splendidissima notes that a substantial portion of her library was taken up by Oriental manuscripts
An extensive, rare and valuable Collection of Original | Persian, Chinese, Turkish, Hindostan, and other Drawings, | exquisitely finished, representing the Manners, Amuse- | ments, Customs, Dress, Trades, Architecture, Manufactures | and Costumes of the Eastern Nations.
Indeed, material from the Middle East and Asia, including books, manuscripts and even paintings, in languages such as Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Sanskrit, and Turkish, made up some fifty-three lots, or 6.5 % of the entire sale. (Western manuscripts totalled 5.4 % of the lots for sale.)
lot
481 PERSIAN MS. a Biographical Dictionary of the Lives of eminent Persian Characters, with 72 original Drawings, calf extra, gilt leaves
[sold for £5.0.0]
ORIGINAL PERSIAN, CHINESE, TURKISH, HIN
DOSTAN, AND OTHER DRAWINGS.
482 COSTUME AND MANNERS OF THE PERSIANS, 53 highly finished original Drawings, representing the Manners and Customs of the Persians, with rich Borders, splendidly bound in blue morocco, joints, broad gold borders, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £35.14.0]
483 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 39 original Drawings, richly coloured, to illustrate the Months of the Year, signs of the Zodiac, Amusements, &c. of the Hindoos, with MS. Descriptions in English, mounted, guarded, and bound in green morocco, joints, gold borders, and gilt leaves, by Welcher
[sold for £9.9.0]
484 CHINESE DRAWINGS, 134 exquisite original Drawings, illustrating the Trades, Costumes and Manners of the Chinese, by Artists of that Nation, mounted, guarded, and bound in red morocco, broad gold border, gilt leaves, by Staggemeier
[sold for £19.19.0]
485 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a Collection of 96 original Drawings, exemplifying the Method of Manufacturing Porcelain, Charcoal, &c. by the Chinese, guarded, and bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves
[sold for £12.7.6]
486 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a Collection of 71 original Drawings, exemplifying the Method of Manufacturing Silk, by the Chinese, guarded and bound in blue morocco, uniform with the preceding
[sold for £19.9.6]
487 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a Collection of 61 beautiful original Drawings, to illustrate the Costume, Manners and Amusements of the Chinese, mounted, splendidly bound in red morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by Staggemeier
[sold for £18.19.6]
488 COSTUME AND MANNERS OF THE PERSIANS, represented in 33 original exquisite Drawings, beautifully coloured, with borders and sprinkled with gold, guarded and bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £14.3.6]
489 COSTUME AND MANNERS OF THE HINDOOS, a collection of 30 original Drawings, to illustrate the Costume and Manners of the Hindoos, highly coloured, with descriptions on the back of each, guarded and bound in blue morocco, joints, by Lewis
[sold for £11.11.0]
...
491 RELIGION, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS OF THE HINDOOS a collection of 52 original Drawings to illustrate the Religion, Customs, and Manners of the Hindoos, exquisitely coloured, mounted and bound in green morocco, broad gold borders, joints, gilt leaves, by C. Lewis
[sold for £12.12.0]
...
493 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 30 original Drawings, exhibiting a great variety of Attitudes, Feats of Activity, Strength, Tumbling, &c. which are performed by sets of Mendicant People in India, with descriptions, half bound
[sold for £5.5.0]
494 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a collection of 50 richly coloured Drawings, illustrating the Mythology of the Chinese, mounted and bound in green morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by C. Lewis
[sold for £15.4.6]
495 HINDOO DRAWINGS, a collection of 49 exquisite highly coloured original Drawings, illustrating the Manners, Costumes, and Trades of the Hindoos, guarded and splendidly bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves
[sold for £12.12.0]
496 Chinese Fish, 34 Drawings of the Fishes of China, coloured, calf extra, marble leaves
[sold for £4.0.0]
...
498 Lives of the Brahmins, exhibited in 33 original Drawings, (the Ceremonies from the Birth of a Brahmin, and terminating with that of a Brahmin Woman burning herself upon the funeral pile of her Husband,) with MS. descriptions, neatly bound
[sold for £9.9.0]
499 COSTUME OF INDIA, illustrated in 17 exquisite original Drawings of the Costumes, Manners, &c. of India, mounted, and superbly bound in red morocco, broad gold border, gilt leaves
[sold for £7.7.0]
500 ARCHITECTURE OF INDIA, 12 beautiful large original Drawings, representing the Palaces and Public Buildings of India, with a fine Portrait of Assoph Ul Dowlah, painted for Captain Edwards, his Aid-de-Camp, and 3 Drawings of Natural History at the end, half bound, morocco, atlas folio
[sold for £5.10.0]
501 HINDOO IDOLS, a collection of 45 original Drawings, exhibiting Views of all the Idols or Swammies, which are in the Pagoda on the Rock in the Fort of Tritchinopoly
[sold for £14.0.0]
502 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 27 most exquisitely finished original Drawings, with borders, of Nabobs with their Officers of State, Hindoo Women, and Amusements, neatly bound
[sold for £5.13.6]
503 HINDOO EMPERORS, RAJAHS, &c. a collection of 39 beautiful Drawings of Emperors and Chiefs, including Timur, Nadur Shah, Surajah Dowlah, Tippo Saib, Mahomed Shah, Shah Allum, Cassim Ali, Cawn, &c. &c. with borders, very fine
[sold for £4.15.0]
504 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 12 fine original exquisitely coloured Drawings of Nabobs, Viziers, Warriors, &c. &c.
[sold for £2.4.0]
505 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 8 ditto, very fine, Hunting, Horsemanship, Wild Sports of the East, &c. &c.
[sold for £1.18.0]
506 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 3 ditto, Mahomet carried into Paradise, six Mahometan Saints, and Hindoo Idols, very fine
[sold for £1.5.0]
...
508 ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF BIRDS, a collection of upwards of 200 beautiful coloured original Drawings, illustrating the Ornithology of the Orientals, mounted and superbly bound, in 2 vols, red morocco, joints, gold borders, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £42.0.0]
509 INDIAN AND CHINESE DRAWINGS, 83 magnificent original Drawings, representing the Dresses, Habits, Trades, Manufactures and Amusements of India and China, mounted, and bound in russia, joints, broad gold borders, gilt leaves, by Staggemeier
[sold for £15.0.0]
510 ORIENTAL DRAWINGS, 29 beautiful original Drawings, representing the Manners of the East, in a folio volume, half bound, morocco
[sold for £5.15.6]
511 COSTUMES OF THE PERSIANS, a collection of 59 original Drawings, illustrating the Costume, Manners, and Amusements of the Persians, most exquisitely coloured, with borders, and sprinkled with gold, bound in green morocco, elegant, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £18.18.0]
512 CHINESE DRAWINGS, 15 highly coloured original Drawings, representing the Heathen Mythology of the Chinese, very curious, half bound, russia
[sold for £6.6.0]
513 HINDOO DRAWINGS, a collection of 23 original Drawings, beautifully executed on cards, illustrating the Trades, &c. of the Hindoos, in a red morocco case
[not sold?]
...
515 HINDOO DRAWINGS, a collection of 25 original Drawings, to illustrate the Costume and Manners of the Hindoos, most exquisitely coloured, guarded, and bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £10.10.0]
516 HINDOO TRADES AND OCCUPATIONS, 43 original highly finished Drawings, with borders and descriptions, to illustrate the Trades, Occupations, Costumes, &c. of the Hindoos, guarded, and bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £11.11.0]
517 HINDOO TRADES AND OCCUPATIONS — containing 42 beautiful Drawings, uniform with the preceding, by Lewis
[sold for £11.0.0]
518 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a collection of 103 original Drawings, illustrating the Heathen Mythology of the Chinese, most beautifully coloured, inlaid, and bound in red morocco, broad gold borders, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £29.0.0]
...
520 Chinese Drawings, a collection of 46, representing the Customs, Habits, &c. of China, Mounted and bound in russia, joints by Benedict
[sold for £3.15.0]
...
522 HINDOO DRAWINGS, an assemblage of 70 exquisitely finished original Drawings of Emperors and Kings of Hindostan, various Costumes, Habits, Manners, &c. of the East, neatly bound
[sold for £7.10.0]
523 VUES DES MONUMENS DE CANTON, 110 original Chinese Drawings, Views in Canton mounted and half bound, in yellow morocco, joints, gold borders, gilt leaves
(From the Townley Collection.)
[sold for £8.15.0]
524 HINDOO DRAWINGS, a volume containing 26 miscellaneous beautifully coloured Drawings of Portraits, Costumes, &c.
[sold for £3.15.0]
525 DITTO, ditto, 12 various
[sold for £1.6.0]
526 DITTO, 24 ditto
[sold for £2.19.0]
527 DITTO, 24 ditto
[sold for £3.7.6]
528 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a collection of 32 original highly coloured Drawings, representing the Arts, Trades, Manufactures, Agriculture, &c. of China, half bound
[sold for £4.4.0]
529 DITTO, 27 ditto, Flowers, Trades, Costumes, &c.
[sold for £3.15]
530 Oriental Drawings, 47 Drawings exhibiting the Punishments, Religious Ceremonies, Superstitions, &c. of the East
[sold for £1.11.6]
...
533 Turkish Costume, 18 Drawings of coloured Costumes and 13 coloured Prints, ditto, calf gilt
[sold for £1.11.6]
...
535 CHINESE DRAWINGS, 10 beautiful original Chinese Drawings, Mandarins, and Ladies of Quality, exquisitely coloured, and mounted
[sold for £2.0.0]
536 DITTO, 26 ditto, representing the Trades and Manufactures of the Chinese, beautifully coloured
[sold for £4.4.0]
537 DITTO, 34 ditto, exhibiting the Trials, various modes Punishments, &c. of the Chinese
[sold for £5.10.0]
538 DITTO, 7 ditto, Military Officers, Mandarins, &c., very fine
[sold for £1.10.0]
539 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 8 original Drawings, representing the Costumes of the Hindoos, &c.
[sold for £1.0.0]
540 DITTO, 3 very large Drawings of Emperors, &c.
[sold for £3.10.0]
541 DITTO, 3 ditto, Processions and Costumes
[sold for £2.16.0]
542 DITT, 2 ditto, Hindoo Deities
[sold for £1.8.0 ]
543 Nineteen Chinese and Hindoo Drawings of Architecture, in a portfolio
[sold for £1.1.0]
544 Two Drawings, Turkish Costume, Wrestling, and Female Dancing
[sold for 7/-]
If, as I suggest, William Blake knew Mrs. Bliss and had some acquaintanceship with her book collection, then he would have had access to one of the most remarkable Oriental collections of his time with profound implications for his art.
An extensive, rare and valuable Collection of Original | Persian, Chinese, Turkish, Hindostan, and other Drawings, | exquisitely finished, representing the Manners, Amuse- | ments, Customs, Dress, Trades, Architecture, Manufactures | and Costumes of the Eastern Nations.
Indeed, material from the Middle East and Asia, including books, manuscripts and even paintings, in languages such as Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Sanskrit, and Turkish, made up some fifty-three lots, or 6.5 % of the entire sale. (Western manuscripts totalled 5.4 % of the lots for sale.)
lot
481 PERSIAN MS. a Biographical Dictionary of the Lives of eminent Persian Characters, with 72 original Drawings, calf extra, gilt leaves
[sold for £5.0.0]
ORIGINAL PERSIAN, CHINESE, TURKISH, HIN
DOSTAN, AND OTHER DRAWINGS.
482 COSTUME AND MANNERS OF THE PERSIANS, 53 highly finished original Drawings, representing the Manners and Customs of the Persians, with rich Borders, splendidly bound in blue morocco, joints, broad gold borders, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £35.14.0]
483 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 39 original Drawings, richly coloured, to illustrate the Months of the Year, signs of the Zodiac, Amusements, &c. of the Hindoos, with MS. Descriptions in English, mounted, guarded, and bound in green morocco, joints, gold borders, and gilt leaves, by Welcher
[sold for £9.9.0]
484 CHINESE DRAWINGS, 134 exquisite original Drawings, illustrating the Trades, Costumes and Manners of the Chinese, by Artists of that Nation, mounted, guarded, and bound in red morocco, broad gold border, gilt leaves, by Staggemeier
[sold for £19.19.0]
485 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a Collection of 96 original Drawings, exemplifying the Method of Manufacturing Porcelain, Charcoal, &c. by the Chinese, guarded, and bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves
[sold for £12.7.6]
486 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a Collection of 71 original Drawings, exemplifying the Method of Manufacturing Silk, by the Chinese, guarded and bound in blue morocco, uniform with the preceding
[sold for £19.9.6]
487 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a Collection of 61 beautiful original Drawings, to illustrate the Costume, Manners and Amusements of the Chinese, mounted, splendidly bound in red morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by Staggemeier
[sold for £18.19.6]
488 COSTUME AND MANNERS OF THE PERSIANS, represented in 33 original exquisite Drawings, beautifully coloured, with borders and sprinkled with gold, guarded and bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £14.3.6]
489 COSTUME AND MANNERS OF THE HINDOOS, a collection of 30 original Drawings, to illustrate the Costume and Manners of the Hindoos, highly coloured, with descriptions on the back of each, guarded and bound in blue morocco, joints, by Lewis
[sold for £11.11.0]
...
491 RELIGION, CUSTOMS, AND MANNERS OF THE HINDOOS a collection of 52 original Drawings to illustrate the Religion, Customs, and Manners of the Hindoos, exquisitely coloured, mounted and bound in green morocco, broad gold borders, joints, gilt leaves, by C. Lewis
[sold for £12.12.0]
...
493 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 30 original Drawings, exhibiting a great variety of Attitudes, Feats of Activity, Strength, Tumbling, &c. which are performed by sets of Mendicant People in India, with descriptions, half bound
[sold for £5.5.0]
494 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a collection of 50 richly coloured Drawings, illustrating the Mythology of the Chinese, mounted and bound in green morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by C. Lewis
[sold for £15.4.6]
495 HINDOO DRAWINGS, a collection of 49 exquisite highly coloured original Drawings, illustrating the Manners, Costumes, and Trades of the Hindoos, guarded and splendidly bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves
[sold for £12.12.0]
496 Chinese Fish, 34 Drawings of the Fishes of China, coloured, calf extra, marble leaves
[sold for £4.0.0]
...
498 Lives of the Brahmins, exhibited in 33 original Drawings, (the Ceremonies from the Birth of a Brahmin, and terminating with that of a Brahmin Woman burning herself upon the funeral pile of her Husband,) with MS. descriptions, neatly bound
[sold for £9.9.0]
499 COSTUME OF INDIA, illustrated in 17 exquisite original Drawings of the Costumes, Manners, &c. of India, mounted, and superbly bound in red morocco, broad gold border, gilt leaves
[sold for £7.7.0]
500 ARCHITECTURE OF INDIA, 12 beautiful large original Drawings, representing the Palaces and Public Buildings of India, with a fine Portrait of Assoph Ul Dowlah, painted for Captain Edwards, his Aid-de-Camp, and 3 Drawings of Natural History at the end, half bound, morocco, atlas folio
[sold for £5.10.0]
501 HINDOO IDOLS, a collection of 45 original Drawings, exhibiting Views of all the Idols or Swammies, which are in the Pagoda on the Rock in the Fort of Tritchinopoly
[sold for £14.0.0]
502 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 27 most exquisitely finished original Drawings, with borders, of Nabobs with their Officers of State, Hindoo Women, and Amusements, neatly bound
[sold for £5.13.6]
503 HINDOO EMPERORS, RAJAHS, &c. a collection of 39 beautiful Drawings of Emperors and Chiefs, including Timur, Nadur Shah, Surajah Dowlah, Tippo Saib, Mahomed Shah, Shah Allum, Cassim Ali, Cawn, &c. &c. with borders, very fine
[sold for £4.15.0]
504 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 12 fine original exquisitely coloured Drawings of Nabobs, Viziers, Warriors, &c. &c.
[sold for £2.4.0]
505 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 8 ditto, very fine, Hunting, Horsemanship, Wild Sports of the East, &c. &c.
[sold for £1.18.0]
506 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 3 ditto, Mahomet carried into Paradise, six Mahometan Saints, and Hindoo Idols, very fine
[sold for £1.5.0]
...
508 ORIGINAL DRAWINGS OF BIRDS, a collection of upwards of 200 beautiful coloured original Drawings, illustrating the Ornithology of the Orientals, mounted and superbly bound, in 2 vols, red morocco, joints, gold borders, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £42.0.0]
509 INDIAN AND CHINESE DRAWINGS, 83 magnificent original Drawings, representing the Dresses, Habits, Trades, Manufactures and Amusements of India and China, mounted, and bound in russia, joints, broad gold borders, gilt leaves, by Staggemeier
[sold for £15.0.0]
510 ORIENTAL DRAWINGS, 29 beautiful original Drawings, representing the Manners of the East, in a folio volume, half bound, morocco
[sold for £5.15.6]
511 COSTUMES OF THE PERSIANS, a collection of 59 original Drawings, illustrating the Costume, Manners, and Amusements of the Persians, most exquisitely coloured, with borders, and sprinkled with gold, bound in green morocco, elegant, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £18.18.0]
512 CHINESE DRAWINGS, 15 highly coloured original Drawings, representing the Heathen Mythology of the Chinese, very curious, half bound, russia
[sold for £6.6.0]
513 HINDOO DRAWINGS, a collection of 23 original Drawings, beautifully executed on cards, illustrating the Trades, &c. of the Hindoos, in a red morocco case
[not sold?]
...
515 HINDOO DRAWINGS, a collection of 25 original Drawings, to illustrate the Costume and Manners of the Hindoos, most exquisitely coloured, guarded, and bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £10.10.0]
516 HINDOO TRADES AND OCCUPATIONS, 43 original highly finished Drawings, with borders and descriptions, to illustrate the Trades, Occupations, Costumes, &c. of the Hindoos, guarded, and bound in blue morocco, joints, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £11.11.0]
517 HINDOO TRADES AND OCCUPATIONS — containing 42 beautiful Drawings, uniform with the preceding, by Lewis
[sold for £11.0.0]
518 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a collection of 103 original Drawings, illustrating the Heathen Mythology of the Chinese, most beautifully coloured, inlaid, and bound in red morocco, broad gold borders, gilt leaves, by Lewis
[sold for £29.0.0]
...
520 Chinese Drawings, a collection of 46, representing the Customs, Habits, &c. of China, Mounted and bound in russia, joints by Benedict
[sold for £3.15.0]
...
522 HINDOO DRAWINGS, an assemblage of 70 exquisitely finished original Drawings of Emperors and Kings of Hindostan, various Costumes, Habits, Manners, &c. of the East, neatly bound
[sold for £7.10.0]
523 VUES DES MONUMENS DE CANTON, 110 original Chinese Drawings, Views in Canton mounted and half bound, in yellow morocco, joints, gold borders, gilt leaves
(From the Townley Collection.)
[sold for £8.15.0]
524 HINDOO DRAWINGS, a volume containing 26 miscellaneous beautifully coloured Drawings of Portraits, Costumes, &c.
[sold for £3.15.0]
525 DITTO, ditto, 12 various
[sold for £1.6.0]
526 DITTO, 24 ditto
[sold for £2.19.0]
527 DITTO, 24 ditto
[sold for £3.7.6]
528 CHINESE DRAWINGS, a collection of 32 original highly coloured Drawings, representing the Arts, Trades, Manufactures, Agriculture, &c. of China, half bound
[sold for £4.4.0]
529 DITTO, 27 ditto, Flowers, Trades, Costumes, &c.
[sold for £3.15]
530 Oriental Drawings, 47 Drawings exhibiting the Punishments, Religious Ceremonies, Superstitions, &c. of the East
[sold for £1.11.6]
...
533 Turkish Costume, 18 Drawings of coloured Costumes and 13 coloured Prints, ditto, calf gilt
[sold for £1.11.6]
...
535 CHINESE DRAWINGS, 10 beautiful original Chinese Drawings, Mandarins, and Ladies of Quality, exquisitely coloured, and mounted
[sold for £2.0.0]
536 DITTO, 26 ditto, representing the Trades and Manufactures of the Chinese, beautifully coloured
[sold for £4.4.0]
537 DITTO, 34 ditto, exhibiting the Trials, various modes Punishments, &c. of the Chinese
[sold for £5.10.0]
538 DITTO, 7 ditto, Military Officers, Mandarins, &c., very fine
[sold for £1.10.0]
539 HINDOO DRAWINGS, 8 original Drawings, representing the Costumes of the Hindoos, &c.
[sold for £1.0.0]
540 DITTO, 3 very large Drawings of Emperors, &c.
[sold for £3.10.0]
541 DITTO, 3 ditto, Processions and Costumes
[sold for £2.16.0]
542 DITT, 2 ditto, Hindoo Deities
[sold for £1.8.0 ]
543 Nineteen Chinese and Hindoo Drawings of Architecture, in a portfolio
[sold for £1.1.0]
544 Two Drawings, Turkish Costume, Wrestling, and Female Dancing
[sold for 7/-]
If, as I suggest, William Blake knew Mrs. Bliss and had some acquaintanceship with her book collection, then he would have had access to one of the most remarkable Oriental collections of his time with profound implications for his art.
MSS with a Bliss provenance III
Heures Gothique
"Heures Gothique, MS. on vellum, 15 miniatures, Life of Joseph, and Calendar, with painted capitals, red morocco, gilt edges"
This can be identified as a Psalter for Franciscan usage acquired by the Bodleian Library in Oxford with the Francis Douce bequest, & now MS. Douce 48. The lot sold for £14. 5s. 0d. to .... from whom it was purchased by Francis Douce. Bequeathed by Douce to the Bodleian Library. It is a manuscript of the late thirteenth century with fine miniatures & borders, & historiated & other initials by a second hand.
Bibliography
Bodleian Library, The Douce Legacy: an Exhibition to Commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Bequest of Francis Douce, 17571834 (Oxford, 1984), no.237
Bodleian Library, Latin Liturgical Manuscripts and Printed Books: Guide to an Exhibition (Oxford, 1952), no.51
Bodleian Library. Summary Catalogue of Western Manuscripts (Oxford, 1953), no.21622
R. Branner, Manuscript painting in Paris during the reign of St. Louis (Berkeley, 1977), 211, 246
Otto Pächt & J. J. G. Alexander, Illuminated Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library (Oxford, 1966-73), no.532 & plate xl
J. F. Willard, "Occupations of the Months in Mediaeval Calendars", Bodleian Quarterly Record, (1932), 38.
"Heures Gothique, MS. on vellum, 15 miniatures, Life of Joseph, and Calendar, with painted capitals, red morocco, gilt edges"
This can be identified as a Psalter for Franciscan usage acquired by the Bodleian Library in Oxford with the Francis Douce bequest, & now MS. Douce 48. The lot sold for £14. 5s. 0d. to .... from whom it was purchased by Francis Douce. Bequeathed by Douce to the Bodleian Library. It is a manuscript of the late thirteenth century with fine miniatures & borders, & historiated & other initials by a second hand.
Bibliography
Bodleian Library, The Douce Legacy: an Exhibition to Commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Bequest of Francis Douce, 17571834 (Oxford, 1984), no.237
Bodleian Library, Latin Liturgical Manuscripts and Printed Books: Guide to an Exhibition (Oxford, 1952), no.51
Bodleian Library. Summary Catalogue of Western Manuscripts (Oxford, 1953), no.21622
R. Branner, Manuscript painting in Paris during the reign of St. Louis (Berkeley, 1977), 211, 246
Otto Pächt & J. J. G. Alexander, Illuminated Manuscripts in the Bodleian Library (Oxford, 1966-73), no.532 & plate xl
J. F. Willard, "Occupations of the Months in Mediaeval Calendars", Bodleian Quarterly Record, (1932), 38.
The Bliss binders
The place that books have in the social values of the time is expressed in the frame built to hold them.—BARKER.Rebekah Bliss gave fine bindings to her Blakes—unfortunately unattributed—indeed to many of her books. The title page of Mrs. Bliss’s 1819 sale (Bibliotheca splendidissima) draws our attention to the notable bookbinders employed on her library
... sumptuously and tastefully bound in morocco and russia, by Kalthoeber, Staggemeier, C. Lewis, Bohn, Welcher, C. Smith, Murton, and other eminent binders, regardless of expence, and finished in their best style.The full list of binders credited in the sale catalogue is Benedict, Bohn, Faulkner, Hering, Lewis, Murton, Smith, Staggemeir, and Welcher. Curiously, though Kalthoeber is the first mentioned on the title page, none of the lots are attributed to his bindery. Note also how many of these binders are Germans working in London or of German descent.
Benedict is given as binder of lots 422, 433, 477, and 520.
To Bohn is attributed the binding of lots 94, 135, 158, 216, 250, 285, 345, and 442.
Faulkner (lot 83) and Hering (lot 461) are assigned just one binding each.
C. Lewis is apparently a favourite binder of Mrs. Bliss’s (lots 20, 46, 71, 76, 77, 91, 159, 178, 224, 297, 298, 338, 348, 372, 436, 482, 488, 489, 491, 494, 508, 511, 515, 516, 517, 518).
Murton bound 3 lots (134, 252, 257).
C. Smith carried out nine bindings (lots 117, 125, 147, 256, 274, 319, 384, 465, 507).
Just one binding is attributed to the firm of Staggemeier & Welcher (lot 349).
But Staggemeier alone, another favourite binder, bound lots 27, 28, 61, 89, 105, 109, 116, 136, 201, 223, 239, 272, 290, 342, 355, 363, 364, 484, 487, 509.
While attributed to Welcher alone are six bindings (lots, 37, 72, 101, 233, 306, 483).
Further Reading
Nicolas Barker, ed.—A Potencie of Life: Books in Society.—The Clark Lectures 1986-1987.—London : British Library, 1993.
ISBN 0712302875
J.C. Hüttner.—Englische Miscellen.—Tübingen, 1800-1805.
Bd. 6 (1802), 1-32, is the best-known contemporary source on German binders in London.
Howard M. Nixon, "The German binders in London in the late eighteeth century", in: Twelve books in fine bindings from the library of J. W. Hely-Hutschinson.—Oxford, 1953, (69-73).
Howard M. Nixon & Mirjam M. Foot.—The history of decorated bookbinding in England.—Oxford : Clarendon Press, 1992.
My thanks to Graham Jefcoate for this booklist.
MSS with a Bliss provenance II
Book of Hours (Use of Rome) "Holford Hours"
Lisboa, Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, LA 210
Sotheby's 1932-06-07, no. 31
A. Chester Beatty
Holford
Longman
Place
•Region : Flanders
•Details : Bruges + Ghent ?
Date
•Date details : 1526 (c.1526 ?)
•Half centuries : 1500-1549
•Decade : 1520 - 1529
Physical description
Measurements
•191 leaves
•Size categories of height : 175-199 mm
•Height of text blocks : 195 mm
•Width of text blocks : 130 mm
Emblems and Heraldry
portrayed man with unidentified arms
Miniaturists
•Gerard Horenbout / M James IV of Scotland (and workshop)
•Simon Bening
Material
Parchment
Binding
•Description : 1932 (red velvet) (the original binding was in blind-tooled leather, until 1816)
•Dating : 1900-2000
Genre
books of hours and prayer books
Bibliography
Georges Dogaer, Flemish Miniature Painting in the 15th and 16th centuries, Amsterdam 1987: S Bening
Thomas Kren & Scot McKendrick, with contributions by Maryan W. Ainsworth, Mari-Tere Alvarez, Brigitte Dekeyser, Richard Gay, Elisabeth Morrison & Catherine Reynolds, Illuminating the Renaissance. The Triumph of Flemish Manuscript Painting in Europe, exhib. cat., Los Angeles-London 2003, no. 127
Hanno Wijsman, Luxury Bound. Illustrated Manuscript Production and Noble and Princely Book Ownership in the Burgundian Netherlands (1400-1550), (Burgundica, xvi), Turnhout (Brepols), 2010a, p.119
James Marrow, ‘Simon Bening in 1521: a Group of Dated Manuscripts’, Frans Vanwijngaerden et al. (eds.), Liber amicorum Herman Liebaers, Brussels 1984, 537-559
Lisboa, Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, LA 210
Sotheby's 1932-06-07, no. 31
A. Chester Beatty
Holford
Longman
Place
•Region : Flanders
•Details : Bruges + Ghent ?
Date
•Date details : 1526 (c.1526 ?)
•Half centuries : 1500-1549
•Decade : 1520 - 1529
Physical description
Measurements
•191 leaves
•Size categories of height : 175-199 mm
•Height of text blocks : 195 mm
•Width of text blocks : 130 mm
Emblems and Heraldry
portrayed man with unidentified arms
Miniaturists
•Gerard Horenbout / M James IV of Scotland (and workshop)
•Simon Bening
Material
Parchment
Binding
•Description : 1932 (red velvet) (the original binding was in blind-tooled leather, until 1816)
•Dating : 1900-2000
Genre
books of hours and prayer books
Bibliography
Georges Dogaer, Flemish Miniature Painting in the 15th and 16th centuries, Amsterdam 1987: S Bening
Thomas Kren & Scot McKendrick, with contributions by Maryan W. Ainsworth, Mari-Tere Alvarez, Brigitte Dekeyser, Richard Gay, Elisabeth Morrison & Catherine Reynolds, Illuminating the Renaissance. The Triumph of Flemish Manuscript Painting in Europe, exhib. cat., Los Angeles-London 2003, no. 127
Hanno Wijsman, Luxury Bound. Illustrated Manuscript Production and Noble and Princely Book Ownership in the Burgundian Netherlands (1400-1550), (Burgundica, xvi), Turnhout (Brepols), 2010a, p.119
James Marrow, ‘Simon Bening in 1521: a Group of Dated Manuscripts’, Frans Vanwijngaerden et al. (eds.), Liber amicorum Herman Liebaers, Brussels 1984, 537-559
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)