Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 1.djvu/70

 62

NOTES AND QUERIES. [ii s. i. JAN. 22, 1910.

LONDON TOPOGRAPHICAL PRINTS AND DRAWINGS.

(Concluded from p. 5.)

ONE marked similarity in the tastes of these great collectors is shown in the number of the water-colour drawings of contem- porary London they acquired. It is pro- bable that, when the sale takes place, this feature will specially attract the press, and consequently such examples will be most raised in price when they are again offered for sale. Yet they were provided not always for the commendable purpose of recording " passing London, " but rather to add to the numbers in the portfolios or volumes.

Highest in merit, from the antiquary's standpoint, amongst the providers of the drawings must be placed John and John Chessell Buckler, excellent artists both. But mark the appreciation of those for whom they worked William Knight, F.S. A., John Morice, F.S. A., and others. Only the finished drawings of buildings or localities were used, and the equally valuable sketches of detail remained in the artists' hands, as they were less pictorially effective. The Bucklers also deserve higher repute because they worked less on commissions, and more as their antiquarian tastes directed, than did their best contemporaries the Shepherds. T. H. Shepherd, the best- known of the London topographical artists, did most of his work in water colours, and in the examples that have come before my notice there is evident intention to make a picture. At first principally engaged in furnishing illustrations for Leigh's and Longman's " Picture of London 21 Pocket- books, he was later fairly constantly occu- pied in copying prints, or providing pretty water-colour drawings of London buildings at two guineas per set of six for some of these great collectors. It was not too heavy a price in view of their general merit, and the large number in the Grace, Holbert Wilson, and Gardner Collections do not therefore represent an important outlay. Even less expense was incurred when Mathews was employed, as for two shillings he would make a sketch, or for six a finished water-colour drawing. Shepherd was fre- quently too constructive in his work, but Mathews was still less conscientious, and depicted traditional features of streets, or introduced into the picture some well- known local celebrities dead years before he could possibly have seen them.

Now the enthusiasts who accepted these fantasies and added them to their collect ion were not without discrimination. When better material could be secured, they made every effort to add to their portfolios. Great must have been the triumph of Mr. Gardner when he secured the original drawings prepared for Wilkinson's ' Londina Illustrata,* although it was probably at some later date than March, 1826, when Wilkin- son's stock of drawings was sold. Other valuable acquisitions were the set of twenty - eight volumes of John Carter's ' Architec- tural Studies,' and many of William Capon's excellent drawings from his " Antiquarian and professional collections, ' ? which were sold by Southgate in May, 1828. Of Whichelo's, Schnebbelie's, and Billings's topographical sketches many specimens are in this collection, which also has some of G wilt's scale drawings.

A still greater similarity amongst these collectors was the desire to obtain Frost Prints. Those in the Gardner Collection are unknown to me, but it would be difficult to excel in quality and variety those brought together by Dr. Wellesley. This is not the only distinction belonging to that collection. There was no room for the produce of Shepherd's or Mathews's fertile brushes in a collection of such exceptional excel- lence. The catalogue shows few book- illustrations, but many fine impressions and early states of the rarest prints. But de- scriptive cataloguing is carried very far in,, for example, lot 344 :

" * A Catalogue of her Grace Katherine Dutchess of Buckingham's Jewels, &c., to be sold by auction by Mr. Cock (by order of her Grace the Dutchess of Buckingham's Executors) at Buckingham- House in St. James's Park, on Friday the 13th of April, 1744,' rare, with view on the engraved title, and 2 others. 31. 3s., Colnaghi."

This view of the house is hardly larger than a postage stamp, and of no importance. It is in the corner of a florid emblematic frontispiece, and not readily noticed.

So that we shall not be tempted to say that the Wellesley or the Gardner was the largest or most important collection of topographical prints ever offered for sale, I will again turn to the sale held in April, 1804. The auc- tioneer in his introduction claimed that it was the most extensive collection ever offered to the public, and as there were upwards of 10,000 prints and drawings, it has not yet been excelled. It is not possible to say how topographically valuable the prints were, but having regard to the fact that at this date there had been very few book-illustrations published, we may assume