Bewick's Works
Volume 3 Signed and Dated by Thomas Bewick
(3 Volume Signed Set - Emerson Charnley, 1822)
Asking Price: £795.00 (excl. post & packing)
Thank you for your interest but these books have now been sold
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Summary:
A possibly unique larger format, three volume set of Bewick's works on birds and quadrupeds with an exceptionally rare example of Thomas Bewick's signature on the title page of the quadrupeds volume (dated 1824, without his customary thumb print as photographed).
Comprises Land Birds and Water Birds (1821 editions with supplements) and Quadrupeds (1820 Seventh Edition). All three volumes were originally printed by Edward Walker and rebound with an additional title page for Emerson Charnley by S. Hodgson in 1822. For unknown reasons the volume number on the Charnley title page has been carefully removed after printing.
Previous owners of these books include Sir George Seymour (1797 - 1880, British Ambassador to Vienna) and Baronet James Stevenson (1873 - 1926, Chairman of British Empire Exhibition committee and creator of the famous advertising slogan 'Born in 1820 - still going strong' when Managing Director of Johnny Walker distilleries). Please see below for full biographical details.
Condition:
All three volumes are in their original state but Volume 1 has been repaired to reattach the front and rear boards. Half bound in green calf and marbled boards with five raised bands and elaborate gilt tooling on the spine. Internally in Good condition but Volume 2's front board and Volume 3's rear board are detached. All three volumes are larger format 8vo (9.5 x 6 inches; 240 x 150mm).
Book Condition: Volume 1, Land Birds - Good: 330 pages (including 40 page introduction / glossary) plus 47 page supplement. Moderate to significant board wear and bumping, gilt lettering on spine still bright, securely bound but separating at hinges, owners' bookplates on front paste-down and endpapers - Sir George Seymour's bookplate annotated 'For Augusta when I depart' (Augusta was Sir George's third child), book dealer's pencilled notations on reverse of front end-paper, internally clean with occasional spotting and faint browning opposite engravings, soiling to pastedown corners has also affected adjoining endpapers (possible production error).
Book Condition: Volume 2, Water Birds - Good: 360 pages (including 22 page introduction) plus 44 page supplement. Moderate to significant board wear and bumping, gilt lettering on spine still bright, securely bound but front board detached and rear board beginning to separate from spine, owners' bookplates on front paste-down and endpapers, internally clean with occasional spotting + soiling and light browning opposite engravings, soiling to pastedown corners consistent with other two volumes.
Book Condition: Volume 3, Quadrupeds - Good: 528 pages plus 10 page introduction. Significant board wear and bumping, gilt lettering on spine still bright, securely bound but rear board detached and front board beginning to separate from spine, owners' bookplates on front paste-down and endpapers, internally clean with occasional light to moderate spotting and faint browning opposite engravings, soiling to pastedown corners consistent with other two volumes.
Note: Whilst all pages are believed to be present there are page numbering anomalies in Volumes 1 and 2. In Volume 1 the introduction ends at page 'xl' (roman numerals) but page numbering in arabic numerals then starts on the next page at '44'. Similarly, in Volume 2 the introduction ends at page 'xxii' and but restarts in arabic numerals on the next page '19'.
Total weight with packaging 3.65Kg. Packing and Postage charges include insurance and signed-for delivery.
Previous Owners:
From the ownership bookplates these volumes have an impressive pedigree and were previously owned by:
Front Pastedown Bookplate: Sir George Hamilton Seymour (1797 – 1880): Knight Grand Cross, Order of the Bath (G.C.B.). British diplomat who entered public service as attaché to the embassy at The Hague in 1817. In 1822 he attended the Duke of Wellington on a special mission to Verona and subsequently held the posts of Embassy Secretary at Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Berlin and Constantinople. Represented Great Britain at the courts of Tuscany (1830), Belgium (1836) and Portugal (1846). Between 1851-1854 he was envoy in St. Petersburg. Appointed to the Privy Council in 1855 and ambassador to Vienna (1855 – 1858). Two portraits of Sir George are held in the Primary Collection of National Portrait Gallery (Trafalgar Square, London).
(See further note below re: the possible link between his sister, Isabella Horatia Seymour and Thomas Bewick).
Front Free Endpaper Bookplate: Baronet James Stevenson (1873 – 1926): Former joint Managing Director of Johnny Walker distilleries and credited with having coined the phrase 'Born in 1820 - still going strong’ one of the most successful advertising slogans of the 20th Century. During World War I he worked for the government in the Ministry of Munitions and was made Baronet in 1917 in recognition of his achievements.
He subsequently held a number of government posts and was Chairman of the Standing Committee responsible for the British Empire Exhibition in 1924-5. After the Exhibition it was originally planned that the stadium erected for it in Wembley, North London should be demolished but Stevenson successfully fought for its preservation. The stadium’s twin towers remained the most-prominent feature of the old Wembley Stadium ('the home of English football') until their demolition in 2003.
In 1924 his achievements were further recognised and he was made Baron Stevenson of Holmbury.
Reverse of Front Free Endpaper Bookplate: Douglas Heriot Baird – no information available.
Possible Initial Ownership Connection With Thomas Bewick:
In 1820 Sir George Seymour’s sister Isabella married Henry Thomas Liddell (1st Earl of Ravensworth).
Henry’s grandfather (Sir Henry George Liddell) imported a number of reindeer to his Ravensworth Park estate in 1786 and these were studied and drawn by Thomas Bewick whilst producing illustrations for his “History Of Quadrupeds” (the actual drawing of the reindeer is on page 127 of the quadrupeds volume and Bewick makes reference to Ravensworth Park on pages 132-133).
Whilst the reason for Thomas Bewick signing the title page of ‘Quadrupeds’ is unknown it is likely these volumes came into the possession of Sir George Seymour through his sister and her husband’s earlier family association with Bewick.
For full size, high resolution photographs (or additional photographs of specific features you would like to inspect more closely) please contact us using the email link in the left hand panel.
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Volume 1 - Land Birds: |
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Volume 2 - Water Birds: |
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Volume 3 - Quadrupeds: |
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