POLWHELE (RICHARD) The History of Cornwall: Civil, Military, Religious, Architectural, Agricultural, Commercial, Biographical, and Miscellaneous, bound [with other works by Polwhele] in 8 vol., EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED
519•
THE ENYS COLLECTION OF BOOKS ON CORNWALL
POLWHELE (RICHARD)
The History of Cornwall: Civil, Military, Religious, Architectural, Agricultural, Commercial, Biographical, and Miscellaneous, bound [with other works by Polwhele] in 8 vol., EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED, with approximately 840 plates (engraved, etched, aquatinted, etc., some hand-coloured or double-page), 4 autograph letters signed (by Polwhele Borlase, and D. Whittaker), 29 original sketches in pen and ink or watercolour, 28 albumen prints or woodburytypes, window-mounted throughout, early half morocco, gilt lettering on spines, t.e.g., rubbed, folio, Falmouth, for Cadell and Davies, 1803[-1836], sold as a collection
Sold for £5,880 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • A MAGNIFICENTLY EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED SET. The autograph letters include two from Richard Polwhele, one to the printer J. Nicholls, sending him "2 setts of the additions (including title-pages & addditional matter [of Polwhele's Cornwall], July 14, 1818, and one discussing Opie's portrait of himself ("... my friend D. Gilbert will tell you that stupid as I may be, my eye hath never indicated stupidity..."), and a 2-page letter from William Borlase (dated March, 1771) to "My dear kinsman" arranging for proofs to made of a manuscript, tother with 2 original pen and ink drawings of archaeological finds in his hand. The additional plates are in all media and, whilst mainly topographical, include some unusual portraits of local "worthies" including an etching of William Bolitho signed by Stanhope and Elizabeth Forbes, a cabinet portrait of Edward Rodd of Penzance reading, an etching by John Opie of his mother (1789), and an unusual albumen print group portrait of Sir John St. Aubyn and associates in mining dress. Amongst the original watercolours are a series entitled "Sketches at Roughtor" by , signed and dated "J.G.F., 1875".

Category: Books / Books, Maps and Manuscripts

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