SAVAGE, WILLIAM. 1770-1843.
Practical Hints on Decorative Printing, with Illustrations Engraved on Wood, and Printed in Colours. London: Published for the Proprietor by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, et al, 1822 [1823].
4to (288 x 230 mm). Color-printed dedication, decorative title and frontispiece (bound at end), letterpress title in black and gilt, 6 ink specimen plates, 2 type specimen plates, 4 engravings of printing presses (Columbian Press in 2 states), 30 engraved plates, most color-printed, 9 defaced plates printed recto-verso, 6 color-printed head-pieces. Modern full green morocco gilt, custom morocco-backed clamshell box.
Provenance: Purchased from the Bookpress, Virginia (pencil notation).
FIRST EDITION, one of 227 copies of this landmark work of color printing. "Savage's magnum opus, which was announced in 1815, appeared in parts between 1818 and 1823. It is both a highly idiosyncratic volume and a notable landmark in the history of color printing from wood" (Ray). "The tints are achieved by Savage's important discovery of making printing ink without any oil, and therefore more suitable for artistic purposes ... The colour prints proper were produced by impressions from two up to as many as twenty-nine blocks." (Abbey). Copies vary in plate count and composition — the present copy collates complete with the contents and includes Clymer's Columbian Press plate in two states as called for in Abbey. Abbey Life 233; Bigmore & Wyman, II, pp 297-301; Ray England 99.
![SAVAGE, WILLIAM. 1770-1843. Practical Hints on Decorative Printing, with Illustrations Engraved on Wood, and Printed in Colours. London: Published for the Proprietor by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, et al, 1822 [1823].](https://images2.bonhams.com/image?src=Images/live/2021-09/10/25093236-297-2.jpg&width=640&height=480&autosizefit=1 "SAVAGE, WILLIAM. 1770-1843. Practical Hints on Decorative Printing, with Illustrations Engraved on Wood, and Printed in Colours. London: Published for the Proprietor by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, et al, 1822 [1823].")
![SAVAGE, WILLIAM. 1770-1843. Practical Hints on Decorative Printing, with Illustrations Engraved on Wood, and Printed in Colours. London: Published for the Proprietor by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, et al, 1822 [1823].](https://images2.bonhams.com/image?src=Images/live/2021-09/15/25093236-297-3.jpg&width=960 "SAVAGE, WILLIAM. 1770-1843. Practical Hints on Decorative Printing, with Illustrations Engraved on Wood, and Printed in Colours. London: Published for the Proprietor by Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, et al, 1822 [1823].")
