Here is a real treat; from the personal library of William Wilberforce and bearing his bookplate, a charming 18th century full calf blank 8vo album containing 80 woodcuts, engravings and etchings dating from the 16th century through to the late 18th century.
Many of the engravings are scarce and of significant value in and of themselves. We would, however, rather see this lovely assemblage, apparently crafted by Wilberforce himself, remain intact.
A few items have notes either by them on the page or are hinged and therefore on the rear apparently in the hand of Wilberforce.
Items include:
*An 18th century woodcut of Katherin Villers, Duchess of Buckingham
*An early 18th century engraving, The Rival Queens; Or, The Death of Alexander The Great. by John June [who was a famed engraver of Blake, etc.]
*c.1770 N Dame de Noubourg [Heilige Madonna zu Neuburg an der Donau].
*c.1770 The Lady of Loretto
*Charming 18th century garden engraving by famed English engraver Isaac Taylor
*A dramatic husband and wife scene by Isaac Taylor, 18th century.
*c.1810 William Marshall Craig engraving of Blair's Tomb by Moonlight
*1747 Print by Paul Sandby of a Quaint English Town with Fisherman
*17th or 18th century engraving of a Pantoloon by Jacques Callot
*17th or 18th century engraving of a minstrel and thespian by Jacques Callot
*A male anatomical engraving noted as being executed 1597 in Leyden by John Purcelle
*Engraving of Paracelsus by Tobias Stimmer, 1587
*Martyrdom engraving by B. Cole, active c.1730's and 1740's, showing two people being roasted over a hearth and three people who have been hanged in the window relief.
*A 16th century old master engraving of Cain slaying Abel
*A 16th century old master engraving of the soldier's beating Christ [with loss to corner]
*1805 Mourning at the Tomb of Jesus' Engraving after W. M. Craig
*17th or 18th century beekeeping engraving with the Latin, "You work, but not for yourselves." This version untraced that we can locate, but a similar example in the British Museum
*1777 Engraving, Les Precautions by Nicolas Edme Restif. Similar example is part of the Cooper Hewitt Collection.
*An 18th century Engraving of a burial scene.
*Very scarce 1818 engraving by W. J. White not traced elsewhere of an elaborate scene regarding quack medicine, i.e. Cameron's Urinal Recipes, Swindleton's Daffy Elixers, etc.
*18th century engraving of a deathbed scene by A. Smith Sc.
*An engraving labeled, "Q Eliza[beth] Jealous of Q Mary, 1631
*Quantity of engravings by Thomas Holloway
And many, many others!
Boards are detached, else in good condition. A fine personal artifact apparently collected with great care by the noted abolitionist.
