50 résultats
1797123299Large 4to. London: R. Noble 1797. Large 4to viii 1 95 2 pages; with 43 full-page engravings by Blake after his own designs surrounding the letterpress text. “Explanation†leaf bound in at the back. Half brown morocco backstrip gilt gilt top by Riviere; a very large copy measuring 16 1/2 x 13 inches thus preserving almost all the imprints. § First edition with Blake’s illustrations complete with the leaf of “Explanationsâ€. Essick and LaBelle explain in their commentary how Blake virtually in a frenzy completed 537 watercolor designs when he was commissioned by the publisher Edwards to illustrate Young’s masterpiece. Edwards issued only the first four “Nights†or sections and had Blake etch and engrave 43 plates to test the market. The response must have been poor since no further engravings were requested of Blake and Edwards ceased business shortly thereafter. Ironically today the poet Young once compared with Shakespeare and Milton is largely forgotten save for this edition. Colored copies are known in two palettes the earlier of which may have been colored under Blake’s direction. Bentley Blake Books 515. Easson and Essick William Blake Book Illustrator vol. 1 IV. Essick and LaBelle Night Thoughts Dover 1975. Bindman Complete Graphic Works of Blake 357-379. Ray The Illustrator and the Book in England 3. R. Noble unknown books
179737372London: R. Noble for Richard Edwards 1797. Large quarto. 16 5/8 x 12 3/4 inches. 4 engraved section titles and 39 pages with engraved border illustrations by William Blake with the letterpress Explanation of the Engravings leaf. Uncut on the fore-edge and lower edge. Minor offsetting as usual. Later half dark green morocco and green moire cloth boards by Riviere & Son spine with raised bands in seven compartments lettered in the second and fourth the others with a repeat decoration in gilt burgundy glazed endpapers top edge gilt.<br/> <br/>A spectacular work illustrated by Blake.<br/> <br/>"Of the merit of Mr. Blake . the editor conceives it to be unnecessary to speak. To the eyes of the discerning it need not be pointed out; and while the taste for the arts of design shall continue to exist the original conception and the bold and masterly execution of this artist cannot be unnoticed or unadmired" advertisement p.viii. Blake originally intended the present work to be the first installment of a much larger illustrated edition of Young's best selling poem. He chose 43 images to engrave from the 537 drawings in watercolour he had made around pages of the first edition of Young's poem inlaid in album sheets. Perhaps baffled by the novelty of Blake's interpretations the public remained unreceptive and the book remains what is essentially a remarkable fragment: a tantalising hint of what might have been. A large copy. Bentley notes that "the paper was only marginally larger than the copperplate and even in untrimmed copies . parts of the platemark may not appear." With the explanation leaf often wanting.<br/> <br/>Bentley Blake Books 515; Bindman Complete Graphic Works of Blake 337-379; Dover 1975; Easson and Essick William Blake Illustrator Vol. I IV; Essick and LaBelle Night Thoughts; Ray The Illustrator and the Book in England 3. R. Noble for Richard Edwards unknown books
179111069912mo. London: printed for J. Johnson 1791. 12mo xii 177 3 advertisements pages with 6 plates by William Blake after his own designs and an extra plate bound in at the front not by Blake. Modern polished tree calf gilt backstrip red label in very good condition. Some plates have offset onto the facing page as usual. § First edition to contain William Blake’s characteristic illustrations reminiscent in iconography to his designs for his own Songs of Innocence 1789. This copy has all the plates in the second and much improved state and an extra plate at the front thought to be by Blake but not. This collection of didactic tales for youth in part reinforcing the lessons of Wollstonecraft’s first book Thoughts on the Education of Daughters proved her most popular book going through five editions by 1800. Windle Bibliography of Mary Wollstonecraft A3b. Bentley Blake Books 514A. Easson and Essick vol. I no. III. printed for J. Johnson unknown books
17881107522 prints. London: J.R. Smith 1788. 2 prints images 21 x 26 cms. with full margins and imprints. Well printed in brown ink cleaned and titles mounted below the prints in very good condition. § Second state of The Idle Laundress third state of Industrious Cottager good impressions. These two prints were designed to be issued together but they are extremely rarely found so. I have had two copies of the first plate third state and one copy of any state of the second plate. The first is known in one copy of the first state and Essick records only two copies of the second state BM and Keynes; Essick has the third state printed in 1803. The second plate is known in one copy each of the first and second states and 4 copies of the third state. Essick The Separate Plates of William Blake XXX and XXXI. J.R. Smith unknown books
17841046722 vols. London: Harrison and Co. 1784–1785. 2 vols. in one 8vo 1-9 10-485 1; 1-5 6-193 1 pp. With a folding frontispiece second version and numerous folding engraved plates of which 5 are engraved by Blake one after Stothard and four after Samuel Collings. Contemporary marbled boards modern-calf backstrip and tips a very good set with good margins around the plates: rare. § Only edition. "These are the only caricature prints engraved by Blake. The graphic style is appropriately broad and rugged particularly in the barnyard scene. 'Fun I love but too much fun is of all things most loathsom' Blake to Trusler 1799. Blake may have felt that the great rage for caricature prints in the 1790s was a hindrance to the sale of his own original graphic works." Essick CBE p. 37. Bentley Blake Books 513. Essick William Blake’s Commercial Book Illustrations XVI. Harrison and Co hardcover books
17841017082 vols. London: Harrison and Co. 1784–1785. 2 vols. 8vo 2 485 1; 193 1 pp. With a folding frontispiece second version and numerous folding engraved plates including 5 by Blake one after Stothard and four after Samuel Collings. Contemporary calf somewhat worn and vol. I lacking backstrip label. Withal a good set very rare. § Only edition. "These are the only caricature prints engraved by Blake. The graphic style is appropriately broad and rugged particularly in the barnyard scene. 'Fun I love but too much fun is of all things most loathsom' Blake to Trusler 1799. Blake may have felt that the great rage for caricature prints in the 1790s was a hindrance to the sale of his own original graphic wqorks." Essick CBE p. 37. Bentley Blake Books 513. Essick William Blake’s Commercial Book Illustrations XVI. Harrison and Co unknown books
17911073126 copperplate engraving plates complete. London: Printed for J. Johnson 1791. 6 copperplate engraving plates complete 133 x 74 mm. or so trimmed retaining the top edge text but lacking the imprint below the footer title. Cleaned in very good condition. § First edition second state of plates 1 and 2; a very attractive set of these plates designed and engraved by Blake for Johnson. William Blake’s characteristic illustrations reminiscent in iconography to his designs for his own Songs of Innocence 1789. This collection of didactic tales for youth in part reinforcing the lessons of Wollstonecraft’s first book Thoughts on the Education of Daughters proved her most popular book going through five editions by 1800. Windle Bibliography of Mary Wollstonecraft A3b. Bentley Blake Books 514A. Easson and Essick vol. I no. III. Printed for J. Johnson unknown books
1795140940833London: J. Johnson 1795. First Edition. Very Good. First Edition in English of Catullus' complete works side by side with the original Latin. xxxvi 223 3; iv 236 2 pp. Contemporary full calf edges ruled in gilt spine elaborately stamped in gilt with black title label and red numerical label. Complete in two volumes. Includes both half-titles and William Blake's two engraved frontispieces foxed in vol. I offset to the title page in vol. II strengthened joints not rebacked. Occasional light penciled "Xs" to margins easily erasable; offsetting to endpapers; a few dog-eared pages; Very Good. Rare.<br /> <br /> The first attempt to translate the entire body of work of the licentious witty Latin poet of the late Roman era Catullus 84 BC-54 BC into English around 116 poems. None other than visionary English poet artist and printmaker William Blake designed the frontispieces. J. Johnson unknown books
1793259455London: Printed for John Stockdale 1793. First Stockdale edition and first with the Blake plates first issue with the long 's' throughout. 2 engraved title-pages with vignette "Gay Monument" frontispiece and 68 illustrations including 12 etchings by William Blake. ii xii 225; ii vii 188 pp. 2 vols. 8vo 10-3/8 x 6-3/4 inches. Contemporary full straight-grained red morocco covers stamped in gilt with outer roll border flat spines divided into 6 compartments 2 with title and volume number the rest gilt with small tool a.e.g. marbled endpapers. Light wear to extremities some foxing to title-pages. Bookplate of Frasier W. McCann. First Stockdale edition and first with the Blake plates first issue with the long 's' throughout. 2 engraved title-pages with vignette "Gay Monument" frontispiece and 68 illustrations including 12 etchings by William Blake. ii xii 225; ii vii 188 pp. 2 vols. 8vo 10-3/8 x 6-3/4 inches. With 12 Plates by Blake. A tall copy in contemporary binding of the Stockdale edition of Gay's Fables with 12 engravings by Blake who freely adapted his source material. Ray considers this one of the best examples of Blake's work as a reproductive engraver. Bentley & Nurmi 371A; Ray England 1; Essick William Blake's Commercial Book Illustrations XXVI Printed for John Stockdale unknown books
17931092202 vols. London: John Stockdale 1793. 2 vols. in one royal 8vo xi 225; vii 1871 advertisement pp. Engraved title to each part frontispiece to vol. I and 70 plates including 12 by Blake. Old calf rebacked lower cover rehinged scuffed and untidy internally very good without the usual browning and offsetting. § First edition with Blake’s plates. “The plates in this famous edition are free adaptations from the designs of Kent Wootton and Gravelot who illustrated the earlier printings of Gay's Fables. William Blake completely redesigned and redrew the 12 images for which he is responsible and is listed among the subscribers to the edition as are the other engravers who worked on this project. Blake engraved the plates opposite pp. 1 29 59 73 99 109 125 133 and 181 in volume one; and those opposite pp. 1 105 and 145 in volume two.†Sotheran’s. The first issue is easily identified because it uses the long “s†throughout and the second does not. Bentley Blake Books 460A. Essick William Blake’s Commercial Book Illustrations XXVI. Ray The Illustrator and the Book in England 1. John Stockdale unknown books
1793259579London: Printed for John Stockdale 1793. First Stockdale edition and first with the Blake plates later issue with short "s" throughout. 2 engraved title-pages with vignette "Gay Monument" frontispiece and 68 illustrations including 12 etchings by William Blake. ii xii 225; ii vii 188 pp. 2 vols. 8vo 10-3/8 x 6-3/4 inches. Bound to style in acid-stained calf covers gilt with outer roll border flat spine gilt with red morocco lettering-pieces and volume label a.e.g. Title-pages trimmed with some loss light foxing to some plates. First Stockdale edition and first with the Blake plates later issue with short "s" throughout. 2 engraved title-pages with vignette "Gay Monument" frontispiece and 68 illustrations including 12 etchings by William Blake. ii xii 225; ii vii 188 pp. 2 vols. 8vo 10-3/8 x 6-3/4 inches. With 12 Plates by Blake. The Stockdale edition of Gay's Fables with 12 engravings by Blake who freely adapted his source material. Ray considers this one of the best examples of Blake's work as a reproductive engraver. Bentley & Nurmi 371A; Ray England 1; Essick William Blake's Commercial Book Illustrations XXVI Printed for John Stockdale unknown books
1798100653All 4 full-page copperplate engravings after Fuseli signed by Blake as the engraver. London: J. Johnson 1798. All 4 full-page copperplate engravings after Fuseli signed by Blake as the engraver. Matted good impressions of the plates complete with the imprints untrimmed. § One of Blake’s scarcer works seldom seen in the trade or at auction; there was also a volume on English history published in the same year. We have had one other copy in the last seven years and one other separate set of the plates. The plates are strong and lively renditions of moments such as the death of Cleopatra; with the recent discovery of an original drawing by Fuseli for Allen’s English History now in the Essick Collection we now are quite sure that the illustrations for both volumes were drawn by Fuseli. Bentley Blake Books 416. Essick William Blake’s Commercial Book Illustrations XXXVII. J. Johnson unknown books
1797104588Large 4to. London: R. Noble 1797. Large 4to pp. 87/88 with 2 full-page engravings by Blake surrounding the letterpress text. A loose sheet fore-edges untrimmed some still with deckle minimal trimming to top and bottom edges. Only five leaves in the book have engravings recto and verso. § First edition perfect for display or for teaching as the leaves are quite sturdy and can be carefully handled or matted for framing. Blake virtually in a frenzy completed 537 watercolor designs when he was commissioned to illustrate Young’s masterpiece. The publisher only issued the first four ‘Nights’and had Blake engrave and partially etch 43 plates to test the market. The response must have been poor since no further engravings were requested of Blake. Ironically today the poet Young once compared with Shakespeare and Milton is forgotten save for this edition. Bentley Blake Books 515. Essick and LaBelle Night Thoughts Dover 1975. Ray The Illustrator and the Book in England 1790-1914 3. R. Noble unknown books
1797104585Large 4to. London: R. Noble 1797. Large 4to pp. 15/16 with 2 full-page engravings by Blake surrounding the letterpress text. A loose sheet fore-edges untrimmed some still with deckle minimal trimming to top and bottom edges. Only five leaves in the book have engravings recto and verso. § First edition perfect for display or for teaching as the leaves are quite sturdy and can be carefully handled or matted for framing. Blake virtually in a frenzy completed 537 watercolor designs when he was commissioned to illustrate Young’s masterpiece. The publisher only issued the first four ‘Nights’and had Blake engrave and partially etch 43 plates to test the market. The response must have been poor since no further engravings were requested of Blake. Ironically today the poet Young once compared with Shakespeare and Milton is forgotten save for this edition. Bentley Blake Books 515. Essick and LaBelle Night Thoughts Dover 1975. Ray The Illustrator and the Book in England 1790-1914 3. R. Noble unknown books
1797104586Large 4to. London: R. Noble 1797. Large 4to pp. 23/24 with 2 full-page engravings by Blake surrounding the letterpress text. A loose sheet fore-edges untrimmed some still with deckle minimal trimming to top and bottom edges. Only five leaves in the book have engravings recto and verso. § First edition perfect for display or for teaching as the leaves are quite sturdy and can be carefully handled or matted for framing. Blake virtually in a frenzy completed 537 watercolor designs when he was commissioned to illustrate Young’s masterpiece. The publisher only issued the first four ‘Nights’and had Blake engrave and partially etch 43 plates to test the market. The response must have been poor since no further engravings were requested of Blake. Ironically today the poet Young once compared with Shakespeare and Milton is forgotten save for this edition. Bentley Blake Books 515. Essick and LaBelle Night Thoughts Dover 1975. Ray The Illustrator and the Book in England 1790-1914 3. R. Noble unknown books
17751087573 vols. London: T. Payne 1775/1776. 3 vols 4to xx 516; 2 vi 535; viii 602 pp with 31 engravings on the 30 listed plates. A very good and attractive set in clean condition bound in original calf with gilt decorated rules to covers and gilt decoration to spine panels with six compartments and red and black labels. § Vols I and II second edition 1775 and Vol III only edition 1796. The three maps are lacking. All other illustrations are present in good condition but including usual offsetting and a few showing minor mottling and browning. Plate XI stated in the List of Plates to be a Bartolozzi engraved plate designed by Cypriani from an original onyx Camaio by the Greek artist Tryphon is the correct plate although in fact it bears no plate No. and the imprint " G. B. Cipriani Del I.K. Sherwin Sculp.". Although Bartolozzi normally signs his studio's plates J. K. Sherwin was an apprentice of Bartolozzi's and presumably was allowed to sign his engraving in this instance. The plate's design matches "The Marriage of Eros and Psyche" from Tryphon's Camaio in the Duke of Marlborough's Collection see e.g Wikipaedia: "The Marlborough Gem". Bentley BB 439. Essick CBI p. 117 entry C. T. Payne unknown books
17931229112 vols. London: John Stockdale 1793. 2 vols. royal 8vo xi 225; vii 187 1 advertisement pp. Engraved title to each part frontispiece to vol. I and 70 plates including 12 by Blake. Full contemporary calf rebacked a bit scuffed and untidy but quite sound internally good despite the usual browning and offsetting. § First edition with Blake’s plates. The plates in this famous edition are free adaptations from the designs of Kent Wootton and Gravelot who illustrated the earlier printings of Gay's Fables. William Blake completely redesigned and redrew the 12 images for which he is responsible and is listed among the subscribers to the edition as are the other engravers who worked on this project. Blake engraved the plates opposite pp. 1 29 59 73 99 109 125 133 and 181 in volume one; and those opposite pp. 1 105 and 145 in volume two. The first issue is easily identified because it uses the long “s†throughout and the second does not. Bentley Blake Books 460A. Essick William Blake’s Commercial Book Illustrations XXVI. Ray The Illustrator and the Book in England 1. Note that in the list of subscribers there is a "Mr. Blake". Very few books are known to have been subscribed to by Blake. John Stockdale unknown books
1793D11653London: John Stockdale 1793. First Edition thus. Hardcover. Very Good. Contemporary morocco ornate gilt-stamped border on boards gilt-stamped lettering and ornament on spine; 2 volumes 4to; pp. xi 1 225; vii 1 187 1 ad; plus an engraved title-page for each volume and 68 plates including 12 by William Blake; collates complete. First Stockdale edition first issue with the long "s" throughout. Boards faintly rubbed; joints and edges of boards lightly bumped and scuffed. Some very faint foxing; the occasional dusty smudge; but overall internally bright and clean. Considered one of the finest examples of Blake's work as a reproductive engraver. Ray England 1; Essick William Blake's Commercial Book Illustrations XXVI. <br/><br/> John Stockdale hardcover books
1797104625Large 4to. London: R. Noble 1797. Large 4to pp. 95/96 with a full-page engraving by Blake surrounding the letterpress text. A loose sheet fore-edges untrimmed some still with deckle minimal trimming to top and bottom edges. Only five leaves in the book have engravings recto and verso. § First edition perfect for display or for teaching as the leaf is quite sturdy and can be carefully handled or matted for framing. Blake virtually in a frenzy completed 537 watercolor designs when he was commissioned to illustrate Young’s masterpiece. The publisher only issued the first four ‘Nights’ and had Blake engrave and partially etch 43 plates to test the market. The response must have been poor since no further engravings were requested of Blake. Ironically today the poet Young once compared with Shakespeare and Milton is forgotten save for this edition. Bentley Blake Books 515. Essick and LaBelle Night Thoughts Dover 1975. Ray The Illustrator and the Book in England 1790-1914 3. R. Noble unknown books
1793287262London: Printed for John Stockdale 1793. First Edition. Full Leather. Very Good binding. First Edition First Issue of John Gay's Fables. With the long 's' throughout. Complete with sixty-eight plates including twelve by William Blake in addition to the two engraved title pages one at the start of each volume. Said to be the best examples of Blake's work as a reproductive engraver. Minor foxing to the title pages and some plates and offsetting to the opposite pages of most plates. Japanese tissue repair to the front joint of Vol. I. Surface wear to the leather binding. Full calf with red and black leather labels. Very Good. ESTC N9619. Very Good binding. Printed for John Stockdale unknown books
17981680London: Printed for John Murray 1798. First Edition in English. Three quarto volumes in five 339 x 272mm. Bound by J. Bohn in a close-to-contemporary diced Russian calf binding. Some of the joints reinforced and now all volumes holding well. Complete as to the text and with all five half-titles but with only 168 of the 173 full-page engraved plates by William Blake Bartolozzi Thomas Holloway and others. With the three engraved vignettes engraved by Blake Volume I pages 127 206 and 225 as well as a full-page plate engraved by Blake after Rubens V.I opposite page 159. <br/><br/>A Very Good set overall with light to moderate foxing near the plates most text leaves are generally in excellent shape. <br/><br/>Lavater 1741-1801 "was the last and most influential of the descriptive physiognomists a class of pseudo-scientists who attempted to ascertain character on the basis of physical features.Von der Physiognomik 1772 an unillustrated two volume book was Lavater's first work on the subject; this was later expanded with the help of Goethe into the four-volume Physiognomische Fragmente 1775-1778 and further perfected in a French translation Essais sur la physiognomie.supervised by Lavater himself. Lavater's physiognomy differed from those of his predecessors in that he paid special attention to the structure of the head particularly the forehead—a form of psychological indexing that exerted some influence on the development of phrenology and brain localization theories in the early nineteenth century. Lavater's work also influenced artists of the period both in the overall creation of portraits and in the use of his physiognomical theories to construct individual faces in historical paintings" Norman Library.<br/><br/>Lavater's work on physiognomy was extremely popular and by 1810 sixteen German twenty English fifteen French two American two Russian one Dutch and one Italian versions had appeared. Among the portraits included are those of Descartes Locke Milton Newton Vesalius Voltaire and George Washington. Garrison and Morton. Norman Library. Osler 3178. Printed for John Murray unknown books
17911107614to. London: Johnson 1791. 4to single leaf 197 x 270 mm margins foxed a good strong impression with wide margins matted. § Designed by Fuseli and engraved by Blake for Erasmus Darwin's poem The Botanic Garden. One of Blake’s best-known commercial engravings. The image is of the God Anubis with the head of a dog praying to the star Sirius for rain his legs bestride a river and between them can be seen the winged figure of Jupiter Pluvius Jupiter giver of rain. Essick Commercial Book Illustrations XXI. Only state. Johnson unknown books
1797104613Large 4to. London: R. Noble 1797. Large 4to pp. 63/64 with a full-page engraving by Blake surrounding the letterpress text. A loose sheet fore-edges untrimmed some still with deckle minimal trimming to top and bottom edges. Only five leaves in the book have engravings recto and verso. § First edition perfect for display or for teaching as the leaves are quite sturdy and can be carefully handled or matted for framing. Blake virtually in a frenzy completed 537 watercolor designs when he was commissioned to illustrate Young’s masterpiece. The publisher only issued the first four ‘Nights’and had Blake engrave and partially etch 43 plates to test the market. The response must have been poor since no further engravings were requested of Blake. Ironically today the poet Young once compared with Shakespeare and Milton is forgotten save for this edition. Bentley Blake Books 515. Essick and LaBelle Night Thoughts Dover 1975. Ray The Illustrator and the Book in England 1790-1914 3. R. Noble unknown books
1793287790London: Joseph Johnson 1793. unbound. very good. William Blake. Etching and engraving. 10.25" x 7.75". Sheet toned and shows minor foxing otherwise in very good condition. A plate from John Gabriel Stedman's "Narrative of a Five Years' Expedition against the Revolted Slaves of Surinam" London: Joseph Johnson 1796. This book with its graphic depiction of slavery and colonization in the New World became an important reference for early abolitionists.<br/><br/> This disturbing image shows an enslaved woman with bound hands hung from a tree. In the background two European men direct two slaves wielding whips to carry out the punishment. <br><br> William Blake 1757-1827 was a British poet painter and printmaker.<br/><br/> Joseph Johnson unknown books
178531510London: Printed for J. Johnson 1785. A New Edition Corrected. Fourth Edition first was 1774 plates dated 1780. This edition was issued with and without plates. Only one plate is signed Blake. Frontispiece and 3 plates after Stothard engraved by Blake Sharp and Heath 2 plates. 1 vols. 8vo. Contemporary calf brown morocco label. Skilfully rebacked rubbed some light offsetting from plates and light browning at front else a very clean and good copy with the 1797 signature of Richard Garnons Jun on the title. A New Edition Corrected. Fourth Edition first was 1774 plates dated 1780. This edition was issued with and without plates. Only one plate is signed Blake. Frontispiece and 3 plates after Stothard engraved by Blake Sharp and Heath 2 plates. 1 vols. 8vo. Blake's First Commercial Plates. Essick #I Bentley #453 Printed for J. Johnson unknown books