Hall (Basil). Account of a Voyage of Discovery to the West Coast of Corea and the Great Loo Choo Island; with an Appendix containing Charts and Various Hydrographical and Scientific Notices, 1st edition, London, John Murray, 1818, 7 hand-coloured aquatints (lacking plate of Napakiang), 1 uncoloured aquatint, 1 engraved plate, 5 maps (some folding), library stamps to preliminary leaves, library ticket to front pastedown, spotting (some leaves heavily so), plates toned & browned, first gathering loose, text block detached from backstrip, later half cloth over marbled boards, boards marked & worn, library sticker to backstrip removed leaving mark, backstrip browned, 4toQty: (1)Footnote: Abbey, Travel 558; Tooley 241. Sold not subject to return’
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Nottinghamshire. Speed (John), The Countie of Nottingham described, The Shire Townes Situation and the Earls thereof Observed, Thomas Bassett & Richard Chiswell [1676], hand-coloured engraved map, inset town plan of Nottingham, central fold strengthened and repaired on the verso, toned overall, 385 x 510 mm, English text on verso, together with another uncoloured copy, but the first edition, circa 1611, central fold with closed tears, repaired and strengthened on the verso, with The Countie of Westmorland and Kendale the Cheif Towne Described, with the Armes of such Nobles as have bene Earles of either of them, Thomas Bassett & Richard Chiswell [1676], hand-coloured engraved map, inset town plan of Kendal, some marginal fraying, several repaired marginal closed tears affecting the printed surface, some staining, the whole backed with later stiff paper, 380 x 505 mmQty: (3)
Hall (Captain Charles Francis). Life with the Esquimaux: The Narrative of Captain Charles Francis Hall, of the Whaling Barque "George Henry," from the 29th May, 1860, to the 13th September, 1862, with the results of a long intercourse with the Innuits... and deductions in favour of yet discovering some of the survivors of Sir John Franklin's expedition, 2 volumes, 1st edition, London: Sampson Low, Son, and Marston, 1864, engraved frontispiece to first volume, wood-engraved illustrations, folding lithograph map at rear of first volume, several closed tears neatly repaired, without loss, some spotting, to mainly to front and rear of volumes, marbled edges and endpapers, contemporary half-calf, gilt decorated spines with contrasting red and dark brown morocco spine labels, very lightly rubbed (generally an attractive copy), 8voQty: (2)Footnote: Sabin 29739; Arctic Bibliography 6485. Captain Hall's first Arctic expedition, during which he searched for traces of Franklin's ill-fated Northwest Passage expedition, during which he discovered relics from Frobisher's 16th century mining venture at Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island.
Three aviation prints; after Gerald Coulson, 'Night of the Hunter', signed in pencil by the artist, together with 'The Right Honourable Viscount Rothermere' and 'Violet Aitkin', a Blenheim Mark IV flown by Wing Commander Max Aitkin, limited edition coloured print no. 244/850. Image 43 x 61cm approx. Together with after Robert Taylor, 'Ramrod 792', Spitfire flown by Wing Commander Johnny Johnson and FW190, signed in pencil by Johnny Johnson and the artist, 32 x 48cm approx and after Robert Taylor, 'Seafury-M.I.G Encounter', Lt. Hoagy Carmichael, claims the Royal Navies first jet victory, signed by Hoagy Carmichael and Robert Taylor, coloured print, 31 x 46cm approx. All framed. (3)(B.P. 21% + VAT)
Lang (A), THE COMPANIONS OF PICKLES, first edition, brown cloth boards, lithographic frontispiece, three lithographic portrait plates, Longmans, Green, And Co, London 1898, with Lang (A), PICKLE THE SPY OR THE INCOGNITO OF PRINCE CHARLES, second edition, 3/4 red leather (spine later bound), marbled boards, lithographic frontispiece, five lithographic portrait plates, Longmans, Green, And Co, London 1897 (2)
Defoe (D), MEMOIRS OF CAPT. GEORGE CARLETON, AN ENGLISH OFFICER; INCLUDING ANECDOTES OF THE WAR IN SPAIN UNDER THE EARL OF PETERBOROUGH, AND MANY INTERESTING PARTICULARS RELATING TO THE MANNERS OF THE SPANIARDS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE LAST CENTURY. WRITTEN BY HIMSELF, first edition, full leather, gilt decoration to spine, printed for Archibald Constable And Co, Edinburgh and J. Murray, London 1808, with De Rocca (M), MEMOIRS OF THE WAR OF THE FRENCH IN SPAIN BY M. DE ROCCA, AN OFFICER OF HUSSARS, AND KNIGHT OF THE ORDER OF THE LEGION OF HONOUR, first edition, later half leather with brown marbled boards, printed for John Murray, London 1815 (2)
Swinburne (H), TRAVELS THROUGH SPAIN, IN THE YEARS 1775 AND 1776, first edition, full leather, laid paper, fold out table of the Kings Of Spain, unillustrated, printed for S. Price, R. Cross et al, Dublin1779, with Semple (R), A SECOND JOURNEY IN SPAIN, IN THE SPRING OF 1809, first edition, later 3/4 leather with marbled boards, eight engraved plates 'illustrative of the costume and manners of the inhabitants of several of the Spanish provinces', printed by and for C. and R. Baldwin, London 1809, and Andersen (Hans Christian), IN SPAIN, first edition, translated by Mrs Bushby, 3/4 leather with marbled boards, Richard Bentley, London 1864 (3)
Haddon (T) and Calvert (A.F.), SOUTHERN SPAIN PAINTED BY TREVOR HADDON, DESCRIBED BY A.F. CALVERT, first edition, illustrated cloth boards, gilt titles to spine and covers, colour frontispiece, seventy four colour plates throughout, fold out map, A. & C. Blackie, London 1908, with Wigram (E), NORTHERN SPAIN PAINTED AND DESCRIBED BY EDGAR T. A. WIGRAM, first edition, illustrated cloth boards, gilt titles to spine and covers, colour frontispiece, seventy four colour plates throughout, fold out map, A. & C. Blackie, London 1906, with Edwards (G.W.), SPAIN, first edition, illustrated cloth boards, gilt titles to spine and covers, colour frontispiece, illustrated colour title page, twenty five colour plates and 37 monotone plates throughout, The Penn Publishing Company, Philadelphia 1926(3)
Jacob (W), TRAVELS IN THE SOUTH OF SPAIN, IN LETTERS WRITTEN A.D. 1809 AND 1810, first edition, full green leather, gilt decoration to covers and spine, marbled endpapers, bookplates to inside front cover, folding frontispiece-map incorporating an aquatint panorama of Cádiz, ten coloured aquatint plates, one monochrome etched plate, inscribed to title page and dated 1817, printed for J. Johnson And Co and W. Miller, London 1811
D*FACE (London, 1978)."End to those dogs", 2015.Silkscreen, copy 25/25.Signed and justified by hand.Dry Stamp.Size: 99,5 x 42 cm; 101 x 43 cm (frame).D*Face is a British street artist known for his distinctive graffiti, stickers and posters placed in various cities around the world. With recurring celebrity imagery and punk iconography, D*Face's work is characterised by his bright graphic aesthetic, his focus on consumerism and the ways in which he shapes everyday life. His diverse range of influences includes skate culture, early New York underground graffiti, pop art and Shepard Fairey's Obey campaign. D*Face's identity was a mystery until 2008, when he revealed his name to the public. "I don't think it's necessarily relevant that you know who I am in regards to my work," he once explained. "The work speaks for itself, and if it doesn't speak for itself, then I like people to reinterpret it according to their own views." The artist lives and works in London. An admirer of Henry Chalfant's graffiti on the New York underground, and the skateboard drawings published in Thrasher magazine, he dabbled in the world of skateboard fanzines. He attended an illustration and design course and worked as a freelance illustrator/designer while honing his street work. His influences include Shepard Fairey's "Obey Giant" art campaign, Jim Philips, hip hop, punk music and cartoons. His first major solo exhibition in London, Death & Glory, was held at Stolenspace Gallery in 2006. This first event sold out. Since then, his exhibitions have included a solo show, Eyecons, at the O Contemporary gallery in Brighton in March 2007, which was overwhelmingly well attended. This included new paintings, an installation and two prints: Kurt "Kant Complain" and Cli-Che. D*Face was director and curator of the Outside Institute, London's first contemporary art gallery focusing on street art. In 2005 the Outside Institute moved and changed its name to become the Stolen Space Gallery. In 2010, he collaborated with Christina Aguilera, on the cover of her album Bionic. In October 2013, D*Face participated in Art Wars at the Saatchi Gallery, curated by Ben Moore. He participated in the 2015 edition of the All City Canvas Global Series, with a mural on the façade of the Hotel Lisboa in Colonia Roma. This project was part of the artistic activities of the Dual Year Mexico-UK. In 2016, he designed the cover of Blink-182's album California.
EDUARDO CHILLIDA JUANTEGUI (San Sebastian, 1924 - 2002)."Aromas", 2000.Silkscreen on thick Velin paper, copy 60/120.Ed. Edouard Weiss, Paris.Signed and justified by hand.Size: 54 x 43 cm."Guided by a scent", the final sentence in the book "Aromas" by Chillida, sums up the artist's spirit when working, allowing himself to be guided by the materials, by their essence. As the sculptor himself explained it: "The form, at the beginning, is almost like an undefined aroma that imposes itself as it becomes more precise. This pre-knowledge or aroma is my guide to the unknown, to the desired and the necessary". This is a silkscreen belonging to the book by Eduardo Chillida made up of five etchings, three woodcuts, two relief silkscreen prints, together with 38 pages of text that, through graphic work, poems, reflections and philosophical quotations, both by the artist himself and by various thinkers, brings us closer to the Basque artist's thought and work through the keys that have marked his career: time, space, music, freedom, matter, light and the sea. Published on the occasion of the artist's 76th birthday. In "Aromas" Chillida the plastic artist and Chillida the writer join hands to reveal the poet, the philosopher and the profound thinker. The edition consists of 160 graphic series with the numbering; 1-120; I-IX (suite); I-IX (suite in grey Eskulan); H. C. 1-10; E. A. 1-12.Chillida began drawing at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, and his interest in sculpture gradually grew. It was during his years in Paris that he made his first plaster sculptures, impressed by the archaic Greek sculpture in the Louvre. He held his first sculpture exhibition in the French capital in 1950. In 1951 he returned to San Sebastián for good, and produced his first work in iron, the material he would work with for the rest of his life. Throughout his life, Chillida received numerous prizes and awards, including the Carnegie Prize, the Rembrandt Prize, the Wolf Foundation Prize for the Arts and the Prince of Asturias Prize for the Arts. He was also an academician of San Fernando, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Honorary of the Royal Academy of Arts in London and of the Imperial Order of Japan, and was awarded the Grand Cross for Humanitarian Merit by the Institution of the same name in Barcelona. In addition to his Chillida-Leku Museum in Hernani, he is represented in museums and collections all over the world, such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the MOMA in New York, the Reina Sofía in Madrid, the Tate Gallery in London and the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin.
PABLO PICASSO (Malaga, 1881 - Mougins, France, 1973)."Nu et sculptures", "Suite Vollard", 1933.Etching.Signed in pencil. 37`8 x 29´7 cm (print); 44´5 x 33´6 cm (paper).In common agreement with historians and specialists, The Vollard Suite is considered the supreme work of 20th century engraving. The Vollard Suite is the fruit of intensely creative moments in which Picasso, in the manner of a graphic diary, developed his obsessions on themes of love, desire and existential fears. The definitive edition of the series began to be printed in 1939, before Vollard's death in July of the same year. Once the print run was completed, the prints went, along with other unpublished series, to the French art dealer's warehouses. The Vollard Suite prints were shown for the first time in 1979 at the exhibition held at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Villa in Paris, from where they became part of the holdings of the Musée Picasso in Paris. Throughout the Vollard Suite the main protagonist is Marie-Thérèse Walter, Picasso's great love of the 1930s. From 1932 onwards his interest in her as a model increased, she appears so frequently in his paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures, in her various moods and forms, that she can be considered the great heroine of Picasso's fictional world. Caught between the anger of his wife Olga and his passion for Marie-Thérèse, Picasso came to consider it the worst moment of his life. In many prints from the 1930s, all the female characters are portraits of the young woman.Marie-Thérèse was for Picasso the antithesis of death, the fullness of life, the ardour of youthful love, the woman-child and the embodiment of his pictorial ideal already proclaimed in the neoclassical female figures of the 1920s.The Vollard Suite is a clear testimony to Picasso's skill as a draughtsman. The one hundred prints cover a wide variety of subjects in Picasso's universe. The series is a considerable part of Picasso's graphic production from 1930 to 1937, and many of the works not included in it have similar themes. Each of the prints becomes comprehensible when analysed in the context of the series as a whole: it is the themes and motifs that preoccupied Picasso that impart unity and coherence to the prints. The major themes are: the passion of love personified in the model, her relationship with artists past and present, and the extent to which creative activity can be considered divine. The two preferred incarnations of the artist are as a classical sculptor and as a Minotaur, opposing personalities that form a typological dichotomy comparable to Nietzsche's Apollonian-Dionysian antithesis. In the prints, an Apollonian linear style is sometimes fused with dark, baroque strokes of Dionysian impetus.
EDUARDO CHILLIDA JUANTEGUI (San Sebastian, 1924 - 2002)."Aromas", 2000.Woodcut on thick Velin paper, copy 60/120.Ed. Edouard Weiss, Paris.Signed and justified by hand.Size: 54 x 43 cm."Guided by a scent", the final sentence in the book "Aromas" by Chillida, sums up the artist's spirit when working, allowing himself to be guided by the materials, by their essence. As the sculptor himself explained it: "The form, at the beginning, is almost like an undefined aroma that imposes itself as it becomes more precise. This pre-knowledge or aroma is my guide to the unknown, the desired and the necessary". This is a woodcut from the book by Eduardo Chillida made up of five etchings, three woodcuts, two silkscreen prints with relief, together with 38 pages of text that, through graphic work, poems, reflections and philosophical quotations, both by the artist himself and by various thinkers, brings us closer to the Basque artist's thought and work through the keys that have marked his career: time, space, music, freedom, matter, light and the sea. Published on the occasion of the artist's 76th birthday. In "Aromas" Chillida the plastic artist and Chillida the writer join hands to reveal the poet, the philosopher and the profound thinker. The edition consists of 160 graphic series with the numbering; 1-120; I-IX (suite); I-IX (suite in grey Eskulan); H. C. 1-10; E. A. 1-12.Chillida began drawing at the Círculo de Bellas Artes in Madrid, and his interest in sculpture gradually grew. It was during his years in Paris that he made his first plaster sculptures, impressed by the archaic Greek sculpture in the Louvre. He held his first sculpture exhibition in the French capital in 1950. In 1951 he returned to San Sebastián for good, and produced his first work in iron, the material he would work with for the rest of his life. Throughout his life, Chillida received numerous prizes and awards, including the Carnegie Prize, the Rembrandt Prize, the Wolf Foundation Prize for the Arts and the Prince of Asturias Prize for the Arts. He was also an academician of San Fernando, and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Honorary of the Royal Academy of Arts in London and of the Imperial Order of Japan, and was awarded the Grand Cross for Humanitarian Merit by the Institution of the same name in Barcelona. In addition to his Chillida-Leku Museum in Hernani, he is represented in museums and collections all over the world, such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao, the MOMA in New York, the Reina Sofía in Madrid, the Tate Gallery in London and the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin.
*CHRISTINE KEELER,Ray Bellisario (1936-2018): 'Freedom - First Day Out Of Prison, Lying In A Field' (Full Length) Signed By Christine Keeler, 1964 photograph printed later, no.10/10, the silver gelatin print, hand-printed from the original negative, depicting Christine Keeler in a field on the day she was released from Holloway prison in June 1964, having served four and half months of a nine month sentence for perjury, signed by both the photographer and Keeler in black ink to the lower border,40 x 50cmProvenance: Copyright purchased by the vendor in 2013, and following this an edition of 10 prints of this image were produced, all signed by Christine Keeler.*Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.
OF COLLECTORS' INTEREST: A late George II carved mahogany drop-leaf table1755-1760, the oval top above a plain arched frieze, on opposing C-scroll, rocaille and acanthus clasped cabriole legs with foliate scrolled ears, terminating in claw and ball feet, 54cm wide x 116cm deep x 74cm high, (21in wide x 45 1/2in deep x 29in high)Footnotes:ProvenanceThe present lot formerly belonged to Ralph Edwards C.B.E., F.S.A. (1894-1977), grandfather of the current owner and vendor. A charming photograph showing Ralph Edwards with his wife Marjorie inside their London family home is available to view online. Therein they are pictured seated in their elegant drawing room inside Suffolk House on Chiswick Mall, located close to the Thames. Visible among the beautiful antiques and paintings is the George I giltwood and gilt gesso mirror which is lot 127 in this sale. A copy of this striking photograph is available upon request. A further image of Edwards whilst he was in Venice is also on our website. The offered drop-leaf table is illustrated in R. Edwards and P. Macquoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, Vol. III, the revised and enlarged edition by R. Edwards, 2000, New York, fig. 26, p. 220. It is even noted in the Dictionary as being 'from Mr Ralph Edwards' and is dated therein to circa 1750.Ralph EdwardsAlthough principally renowned for The Dictionary of English Furniture, his most influential book first published in the period 1924-1927, Ralph Edwards was also an art historian, academic, connoisseur, author and collector within various fields of the fine and decorative arts. His genuinely eclectic yet thorough knowledge included, but was not limited to, subjects as diverse as: European paintings, watercolours, Hogarth, Old Master drawings, bronze sculpture, needleworks, porcelain, silver and English miniatures. Nonetheless his foremost area of expertise was undoubtedly in English furniture.Following his involvement in World War I, and despite successfully completing the necessary professional legal examinations, Ralph Edwards joined Country Life magazine as a member of their editorial team, where he remained for five years. The motivations behind this career-defining decision are a mystery, however as Nicholas Goodison writes in his superb 1978 obituary it was clear that on this occasion: '...art history gained what the law lost.' N. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316.Throughout 1924 and 1925, Edwards continued in this capacity at Country Life at the same time as working closely with Percy Macquoid (1852-1925) on compiling and creating what would thereafter become their seminal work, The Dictionary of English Furniture. Only one year later, Edwards took up the position of Assistant in the Department of Woodwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum, eventually being promoted to Keeper of that Department in 1937. In total he would retain this significant role for seventeen years until retiring, albeit apparently somewhat reluctantly, in 1954. During his tenure as Keeper at the Victoria and Albert, Ralph produced a number of books and articles concerning furniture, typically with particular attention to the history of English furniture. Arguably among the most notable of these were; a brief analysis of English chairs in the museum collection; Georgian Cabinet-Makers, which he assembled together with Margaret Jourdain in 1944; and the three volume revised edition of 'The Dictionary', eventually published in 1954. In his obituary on Edwards, Nicholas Goodison brilliantly encapsulated his primary achievement as Keeper in the Department of Woodwork:'In this role he [Edwards] did a great deal to raise the study of furniture from an inconspicuous to an important branch of the decorative arts.'N. Goodison, Ibid, p. 316.In spite of his retirement from the Victoria and Albert, that same year Ralph Edwards started to accept employment - essentially as a kind of senior consultant - with the Historic Buildings Councils of England and Wales. His invaluable aiding of these Councils lasted a staggering twenty-one years. At the same time, Edwards' output of publications persisted and this is exemplified by; the appearance in 1955 of the third version of Georgian Cabinet-Makers; a 1963 condensed single volume edition of his by then widely celebrated 'Dictionary'; and an almost continual provision of furniture-related articles. Added to this, for two years Ralph Edwards assisted in the editing process for the Connoisseur Period Guides (1956-1958). Yet, regardless of this huge workload he was always available to aid the Arts Council and other official bodies whenever requested or required to do so.Aside from this specialist study in the realm of furniture, it is incredible to consider that Edwards was additionally responsible for literature on an assortment of other visual arts topics. For example he finished Early Conversation Pieces in 1954 which was a survey of the progression of what are generally referred to as 'conversation paintings', beginning in the medieval period and concluding with examples from the early 18th century.Evidently over the last two decades of his life there was much less focusing on the study of furniture which allowed his wide-ranging proficiency in many of the other decorative arts to flourish. Though it is difficult to know whether this was an intentional move away from his main specialism, it was perhaps inevitable given the nature of his involvement with the Historic Buildings Council and the National Museum of Wales. Edwards' participation with both of these groups led him to investigate virtually all manner of artefacts. Over the course of the twelve years prior to his death in 1977 he also formed a fundamental part of the advisory panel for The Burlington Magazine.Overall, Ralph Edwards' enormous influence on the way in which serious art historical research has been, and continues to be, undertaken is not something that can be easily overstated. Ralph was one of the earliest scholars to confirm factual information pertaining to objects by means of uncovering sources contemporary to them. In this process he was instrumental in bringing to the public consciousness numerous craftsmen, makers and artists, ranging from those who had fallen into complete obscurity to more major and more widely known figures.This was the technique pursued with regards to both The Dictionary of English Furniture and Georgian Cabinet-Makers, despite claims that he later opined that there had become too much emphasis upon the analysis of historical letters and invoices. It is alleged that his subsequent view was that this strict and narrow approach had caused furniture history to become too dry and mundane an affair, possibly more akin to a lifeless regurgitation of old account books than a true labour of love. However it is not clear to what extent he believed this had already happened.An exceptional memory for country houses and their contents meant that Ralph Edwards was almost always able to accurately date a work of art or object, and more often than not suggest an attribution to a certain artist or maker where relevant and possible. His natural affinity for British and European history, allied to his supreme level of connoisseurship, has meant that even today he... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
OF COLLECTORS' INTEREST: A William and Mary walnut, oyster veneered and sycamore banded chest1690-1705, the top with an ovolo edge and inlaid with concentric roundels and pollard oak, flanked by two circular tablets and quarter spandrels, above two short and three long graduated oak-lined drawers, on later (probably 18th century) bracket feet, 96cm wide x 59cm deep x 92cm high, (37 1/2in wide x 23in deep x 36in high)Footnotes:ProvenanceThe present lot formerly belonged to Ralph Edwards C.B.E., F.S.A. (1894-1977), grandfather of the current owner and vendor. A charming photograph showing Ralph Edwards with his wife Marjorie inside their London family home is available to view online at www.bonhams.com. Therein they are pictured seated in their elegant drawing room inside Suffolk House on Chiswick Mall, located close to the Thames. Visible among the beautiful antiques and paintings is the George I giltwood and gilt gesso mirror which is lot 127 in this sale. A copy of this striking photograph is available upon request. A further image of Edwards whilst he was in Venice is also on our website. Significantly, the offered chest is illustrated in R. Edwards and P. Macquoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, Vol. II, the revised and enlarged edition by R. Edwards, 2000, New York, fig. 29, p. 40. It is even noted in the Dictionary as being 'from Mr Ralph Edwards' and is dated therein to circa 1715, although it perhaps more accurately belongs to a slightly earlier era which is essentially 1690-1710.Ralph EdwardsAlthough principally renowned for The Dictionary of English Furniture, his most influential book first published in the period 1924-1927, Ralph Edwards was also an art historian, academic, connoisseur, author and collector within various fields of the fine and decorative arts. His genuinely eclectic yet thorough knowledge included, but was not limited to, subjects as diverse as: European paintings, watercolours, Hogarth, Old Master drawings, bronze sculpture, needleworks, porcelain, silver and English miniatures. Nonetheless his foremost area of expertise was undoubtedly in English furniture.Following his involvement in World War I, and despite successfully completing the necessary professional legal examinations, Ralph Edwards joined Country Life magazine as a member of their editorial team, where he remained for five years. The motivations behind this career-defining decision are a mystery, however as Nicholas Goodison writes in his superb 1978 obituary it was clear that on this occasion: '...art history gained what the law lost.' N. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316.Throughout 1924 and 1925, Edwards continued in this capacity at Country Life at the same time as working closely with Percy Macquoid (1852-1925) on compiling and creating what would thereafter become their seminal work, The Dictionary of English Furniture. Only one year later, Edwards took up the position of Assistant in the Department of Woodwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum, eventually being promoted to Keeper of that Department in 1937. In total he would retain this significant role for seventeen years until retiring, albeit apparently somewhat reluctantly, in 1954. During his tenure as Keeper at the Victoria and Albert, Ralph produced a number of books and articles concerning furniture, typically with particular attention to the history of English furniture. Arguably among the most notable of these were; a brief analysis of English chairs in the museum collection; Georgian Cabinet-Makers, which he assembled together with Margaret Jourdain in 1944; and the three volume revised edition of 'The Dictionary', eventually published in 1954. In his obituary on Edwards, Nicholas Goodison brilliantly encapsulated his primary achievement as Keeper in the Department of Woodwork:'In this role he [Edwards] did a great deal to raise the study of furniture from an inconspicuous to an important branch of the decorative arts.'N. Goodison, Ibid, p. 316.In spite of his retirement from the Victoria and Albert, that same year Ralph Edwards started to accept employment - essentially as a kind of senior consultant - with the Historic Buildings Councils of England and Wales. His invaluable aiding of these Councils lasted a staggering twenty-one years. At the same time, Edwards' output of publications persisted and this is exemplified by; the appearance in 1955 of the third version of Georgian Cabinet-Makers; a 1963 condensed single volume edition of his by then widely celebrated 'Dictionary'; and an almost continual provision of furniture-related articles. Added to this, for two years Ralph Edwards assisted in the editing process for the Connoisseur Period Guides (1956-1958). Yet, regardless of this huge workload he was always available to aid the Arts Council and other official bodies whenever requested or required to do so.Aside from this specialist study in the realm of furniture, it is incredible to consider that Edwards was additionally responsible for literature on an assortment of other visual arts topics. For example he finished Early Conversation Pieces in 1954 which was a survey of the progression of what are generally referred to as 'conversation paintings', beginning in the medieval period and concluding with examples from the early 18th century.Evidently over the last two decades of his life there was much less focusing on the study of furniture which allowed his wide-ranging proficiency in many of the other decorative arts to flourish. Though it is difficult to know whether this was an intentional move away from his main specialism, it was perhaps inevitable given the nature of his involvement with the Historic Buildings Council and the National Museum of Wales. Edwards' participation with both of these groups led him to investigate virtually all manner of artefacts. Over the course of the twelve years prior to his death in 1977 he also formed a fundamental part of the advisory panel for The Burlington Magazine.Overall, Ralph Edwards' enormous influence on the way in which serious art historical research has been, and continues to be, undertaken is not something that can be easily overstated. Ralph was one of the earliest scholars to confirm factual information pertaining to objects by means of uncovering sources contemporary to them. In this process he was instrumental in bringing to the public consciousness numerous craftsmen, makers and artists, ranging from those who had fallen into complete obscurity to more major and more widely known figures.This was the technique pursued with regards to both The Dictionary of English Furniture and Georgian Cabinet-Makers, despite claims that he later opined that there had become too much emphasis upon the analysis of historical letters and invoices. It is alleged that his subsequent view was that this strict and narrow approach had caused furniture history to become too dry and mundane an affair, possibly more akin to a lifeless regurgitation of old account books than a true labour of love. However it is not clear to what extent he believed this had already happened.An exceptional memory for country houses and their contents meant that Ralph Edwards was almost always able to accurately date a work of art or object, and more often than no... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
OF COLLECTORS' INTEREST: A George I giltwood and gilt gesso girandole or mirrorCirca 1725, the bevelled plate within a rosette-embedded and entwined strapwork moulded surround, surmounted by a shaped shallow-relief carved acanthus and punched pediment carved with foliate wrapped volute scrolls and two opposing eagle busts, centred by an overlapping scallop shell cresting, with a similar shaped apron centred by a scallop shell mounted with two later brass scrolled candle arms, 127cm high x 78cm wide.Footnotes:ProvenanceThe present mirror formerly belonged to Ralph Edwards C.B.E., F.S.A. (1894-1977), grandfather of the current owner and vendor. A charming photograph showing Ralph Edwards with his wife Marjorie inside their London family home is available to view online at www.bonhams.com. Therein they are pictured seated in their elegant drawing room inside Suffolk House on Chiswick Mall, located close to the Thames. Visible among the beautiful antiques and paintings on the wall is the offered mirror, which is located above the chimneypiece. An original of this striking photograph is available for the eventual buyer of this lot. A further image of Edwards whilst he was in Venice is also on our website. This mirror appears illustrated in R. Edwards and P. Macquoid, The Dictionary of English Furniture, Vol. II, the revised and enlarged edition by R. Edwards, 2000, New York, fig. 51, p. 332. The mirror is even noted in 'The Dictionary' as belonging to 'Mr Ralph Edwards' and is dated there to circa 1715, although it is perhaps more realistically circa 1725 in line with more modern analysis of such pieces.Ralph EdwardsAlthough principally renowned for The Dictionary of English Furniture, his most influential book first published in the period 1924-1927, Ralph Edwards was also an art historian, academic, connoisseur, author and collector within various fields of the fine and decorative arts. His genuinely eclectic yet thorough knowledge included, but was not limited to, subjects as diverse as: European paintings, watercolours, Hogarth, Old Master drawings, bronze sculpture, needleworks, porcelain, silver and English miniatures. Nonetheless his foremost area of expertise was undoubtedly in English furniture.Following his involvement in World War I, and despite successfully completing the necessary professional legal examinations, Ralph Edwards joined Country Life magazine as a member of their editorial team, where he remained for five years. The motivations behind this career-defining decision are a mystery, however as Nicholas Goodison writes in his superb 1978 obituary it was clear that on this occasion: '...art history gained what the law lost.' N. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316.Throughout 1924 and 1925, Edwards continued in this capacity at Country Life at the same time as working closely with Percy Macquoid (1852-1925) on compiling and creating what would thereafter become their seminal work, The Dictionary of English Furniture. Only one year later, Edwards took up the position of Assistant in the Department of Woodwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum, eventually being promoted to Keeper of that Department in 1937. In total he would retain this significant role for seventeen years until retiring, albeit apparently somewhat reluctantly, in 1954. During his tenure as Keeper at the Victoria and Albert, Ralph produced a number of books and articles concerning furniture, typically with particular attention to the history of English furniture. Arguably among the most notable of these were; a brief analysis of English chairs in the museum collection; Georgian Cabinet-Makers, which he assembled together with Margaret Jourdain in 1944; and the three volume revised edition of 'The Dictionary', eventually published in 1954. In his obituary on Edwards, Nicholas Goodison brilliantly encapsulated his primary achievement as Keeper in the Department of Woodwork:'In this role he [Edwards] did a great deal to raise the study of furniture from an inconspicuous to an important branch of the decorative arts.'N. Goodison, Ibid, p. 316.In spite of his retirement from the Victoria and Albert, that same year Ralph Edwards started to accept employment - essentially as a kind of senior consultant - with the Historic Buildings Councils of England and Wales. His invaluable aiding of these Councils lasted a staggering twenty-one years. At the same time, Edwards' output of publications persisted and this is exemplified by; the appearance in 1955 of the third version of Georgian Cabinet-Makers; a 1963 condensed single volume edition of his by then widely celebrated 'Dictionary'; and an almost continual provision of furniture-related articles. Added to this, for two years Ralph Edwards assisted in the editing process for the Connoisseur Period Guides (1956-1958). Yet, regardless of this huge workload he was always available to help the Arts Council and other official bodies whenever requested or required to do so.Aside from this specialist study in the realm of furniture, it is incredible to consider that Edwards was additionally responsible for literature on an assortment of other visual arts topics. For example he finished Early Conversation Pieces in 1954 which was a survey of the progression of what are generally referred to as 'conversation paintings', beginning in the medieval period and concluding with examples from the early 18th century.Evidently over the last two decades of his life there was much less focusing on the study of furniture which allowed his wide-ranging proficiency in many of the other decorative arts to flourish. Though it is difficult to know whether this was an intentional move away from his main specialism, it was perhaps inevitable given the nature of his involvement with the Historic Buildings Council and the National Museum of Wales. Edwards' participation with both of these groups led him to investigate virtually all manner of artefacts. Over the course of the twelve years prior to his death in 1977 he also formed a fundamental part of the advisory panel for The Burlington Magazine.Overall, Ralph Edwards' enormous influence on the way in which serious art historical research has been, and continues to be, undertaken is not something that can be easily overstated. Ralph was one of the earliest scholars to confirm factual information pertaining to objects by means of uncovering sources contemporary to them. In this process he was instrumental in bringing to the public consciousness numerous craftsmen, makers and artists, ranging from those who had fallen into complete obscurity to more major and more widely known figures.This was the technique pursued with regards to both The Dictionary of English Furniture and Georgian Cabinet-Makers, despite claims that he later opined that there had become too much emphasis upon the analysis of historical letters and invoices. It is alleged that his subsequent view was that this strict and narrow approach had caused furniture history to become too dry and mundane an affair, possibly more akin to a lifeless regurgitation of old account books than a true labour of love. However it is not clear to what extent he believed this had already happened.An exceptional memory for country houses and their contents meant that Ralph... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
OF COLLECTORS' INTEREST: A Regency mahogany Pembroke tableThe top with a reeded edge above one frieze drawer, on ring turned tapering legs terminating in castors, 53cm wide x 87cm deep x 73cm high, (20 1/2in wide x 34in deep x 28 1/2in high)Footnotes:ProvenanceThe present lot formerly belonged to Ralph Edwards C.B.E., F.S.A. (1894-1977), grandfather of the current owner and vendor.A charming photograph showing Ralph Edwards with his wife Marjorie inside their London family home is available to view online at www.bonhams.com. Therein they are pictured seated in their elegant drawing room inside Suffolk House on Chiswick Mall, located close to the Thames. Visible among the beautiful antiques and paintings is the George I giltwood and gilt gesso mirror which is lot 127 in this sale. A copy of this striking photograph is available upon request. A further image of Edwards whilst he was in Venice is also on our website. Ralph EdwardsAlthough principally renowned for The Dictionary of English Furniture, his most influential book first published in the period 1924-1927, Ralph Edwards was also an art historian, academic, connoisseur, author and collector within various fields of the fine and decorative arts. His genuinely eclectic yet thorough knowledge included, but was not limited to, subjects as diverse as: European paintings, watercolours, Hogarth, Old Master drawings, bronze sculpture, needleworks, porcelain, silver and English miniatures. Nonetheless his foremost area of expertise was undoubtedly in English furniture.Following his involvement in World War I, and despite successfully completing the necessary professional legal examinations, Ralph Edwards joined Country Life magazine as a member of their editorial team, where he remained for five years. The motivations behind this career-defining decision are a mystery, however as Nicholas Goodison writes in his superb 1978 obituary it was clear that on this occasion: '...art history gained what the law lost.' N. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316.Throughout 1924 and 1925, Edwards continued in this capacity at Country Life at the same time as working closely with Percy Macquoid (1852-1925) on compiling and creating what would thereafter become their seminal work, The Dictionary of English Furniture. Only one year later, Edwards took up the position of Assistant in the Department of Woodwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum, eventually being promoted to Keeper of that Department in 1937. In total he would retain this significant role for seventeen years until retiring, albeit apparently somewhat reluctantly, in 1954. During his tenure as Keeper at the Victoria and Albert, Ralph produced a number of books and articles concerning furniture, typically with particular attention to the history of English furniture. Arguably among the most notable of these were; a brief analysis of English chairs in the museum collection; Georgian Cabinet-Makers, which he assembled together with Margaret Jourdain in 1944; and the three volume revised edition of 'The Dictionary', eventually published in 1954. In his obituary on Edwards, Nicholas Goodison brilliantly encapsulated his primary achievement as Keeper in the Department of Woodwork:'In this role he [Edwards] did a great deal to raise the study of furniture from an inconspicuous to an important branch of the decorative arts.'N. Goodison, Ibid, p. 316.In spite of his retirement from the Victoria and Albert, that same year Ralph Edwards started to accept employment - essentially as a kind of senior consultant - with the Historic Buildings Councils of England and Wales. His invaluable aiding of these Councils lasted a staggering twenty-one years. At the same time, Edwards' output of publications persisted and this is exemplified by; the appearance in 1955 of the third version of Georgian Cabinet-Makers; a 1963 condensed single volume edition of his by then widely celebrated 'Dictionary'; and an almost continual provision of furniture-related articles. Added to this, for two years Ralph Edwards assisted in the editing process for the Connoisseur Period Guides (1956-1958). Yet, regardless of this huge workload he was always available to aid the Arts Council and other official bodies whenever requested or required to do so.Aside from this specialist study in the realm of furniture, it is incredible to consider that Edwards was additionally responsible for literature on an assortment of other visual arts topics. For example he finished Early Conversation Pieces in 1954 which was a survey of the progression of what are generally referred to as 'conversation paintings', beginning in the medieval period and concluding with examples from the early 18th century.Evidently over the last two decades of his life there was much less focusing on the study of furniture which allowed his wide-ranging proficiency in many of the other decorative arts to flourish. Though it is difficult to know whether this was an intentional move away from his main specialism, it was perhaps inevitable given the nature of his involvement with the Historic Buildings Council and the National Museum of Wales. Edwards' participation with both of these groups led him to investigate virtually all manner of artefacts. Over the course of the twelve years prior to his death in 1977 he also formed a fundamental part of the advisory panel for The Burlington Magazine.Overall, Ralph Edwards' enormous influence on the way in which serious art historical research has been, and continues to be, undertaken is not something that can be easily overstated. Ralph was one of the earliest scholars to confirm factual information pertaining to objects by means of uncovering sources contemporary to them. In this process he was instrumental in bringing to the public consciousness numerous craftsmen, makers and artists, ranging from those who had fallen into complete obscurity to more major and more widely known figures.This was the technique pursued with regards to both The Dictionary of English Furniture and Georgian Cabinet-Makers, despite claims that he later opined that there had become too much emphasis upon the analysis of historical letters and invoices. It is alleged that his subsequent view was that this strict and narrow approach had caused furniture history to become too dry and mundane an affair, possibly more akin to a lifeless regurgitation of old account books than a true labour of love. However it is not clear to what extent he believed this had already happened.An exceptional memory for country houses and their contents meant that Ralph Edwards was almost always able to accurately date a work of art or object, and more often than not suggest an attribution to a certain artist or maker where relevant and possible. His natural affinity for British and European history, allied to his supreme level of connoisseurship, has meant that even today he maintains his position among the very highest echelons of academia within the broad domain that is art history. LiteratureN. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316 & 319.... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
OF COLLECTORS' INTEREST: A George II painted pine dummy board1720-1750, the shaped board decorated with an elegantly attired young lady holding a fan in one hand, later reduced in height, 94cm high.Footnotes:ProvenanceThe present lot formerly belonged to Ralph Edwards C.B.E., F.S.A. (1894-1977), grandfather of the current owner and vendor.A charming photograph showing Ralph Edwards with his wife Marjorie inside their London family home is available to view online at www.bonhams.com. Therein they are pictured seated in their elegant drawing room inside Suffolk House on Chiswick Mall, located close to the Thames. Visible among the beautiful antiques and paintings is the George I giltwood and gilt gesso mirror which is lot 127 in this sale. A copy of this striking photograph is available upon request. A further image of Edwards whilst he was in Venice is also on our website. Ralph EdwardsAlthough principally renowned for The Dictionary of English Furniture, his most influential book first published in the period 1924-1927, Ralph Edwards was also an art historian, academic, connoisseur, author and collector within various fields of the fine and decorative arts. His genuinely eclectic yet thorough knowledge included, but was not limited to, subjects as diverse as: European paintings, watercolours, Hogarth, Old Master drawings, bronze sculpture, needleworks, porcelain, silver and English miniatures. Nonetheless his foremost area of expertise was undoubtedly in English furniture.Following his involvement in World War I, and despite successfully completing the necessary professional legal examinations, Ralph Edwards joined Country Life magazine as a member of their editorial team, where he remained for five years. The motivations behind this career-defining decision are a mystery, however as Nicholas Goodison writes in his superb 1978 obituary it was clear that on this occasion: '...art history gained what the law lost.' N. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316.Throughout 1924 and 1925, Edwards continued in this capacity at Country Life at the same time as working closely with Percy Macquoid (1852-1925) on compiling and creating what would thereafter become their seminal work, The Dictionary of English Furniture. Only one year later, Edwards took up the position of Assistant in the Department of Woodwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum, eventually being promoted to Keeper of that Department in 1937. In total he would retain this significant role for seventeen years until retiring, albeit apparently somewhat reluctantly, in 1954. During his tenure as Keeper at the Victoria and Albert, Ralph produced a number of books and articles concerning furniture, typically with particular attention to the history of English furniture. Arguably among the most notable of these were; a brief analysis of English chairs in the museum collection; Georgian Cabinet-Makers, which he assembled together with Margaret Jourdain in 1944; and the three volume revised edition of 'The Dictionary', eventually published in 1954. In his obituary on Edwards, Nicholas Goodison brilliantly encapsulated his primary achievement as Keeper in the Department of Woodwork:'In this role he [Edwards] did a great deal to raise the study of furniture from an inconspicuous to an important branch of the decorative arts.'N. Goodison, Ibid, p. 316.In spite of his retirement from the Victoria and Albert, that same year Ralph Edwards started to accept employment - essentially as a kind of senior consultant - with the Historic Buildings Councils of England and Wales. His invaluable aiding of these Councils lasted a staggering twenty-one years. At the same time, Edwards' output of publications persisted and this is exemplified by; the appearance in 1955 of the third version of Georgian Cabinet-Makers; a 1963 condensed single volume edition of his by then widely celebrated 'Dictionary'; and an almost continual provision of furniture-related articles. Added to this, for two years Ralph Edwards assisted in the editing process for the Connoisseur Period Guides (1956-1958). Yet, regardless of this huge workload he was always available to help the Arts Council and other official bodies whenever requested or required to do so.Aside from this specialist study in the realm of furniture, it is incredible to consider that Edwards was additionally responsible for literature on an assortment of other visual arts topics. For example he finished Early Conversation Pieces in 1954 which was a survey of the progression of what are generally referred to as 'conversation paintings', beginning in the medieval period and concluding with examples from the early 18th century.Evidently over the last two decades of his life there was much less focusing on the study of furniture which allowed his wide-ranging proficiency in many of the other decorative arts to flourish. Though it is difficult to know whether this was an intentional move away from his main specialism, it was perhaps inevitable given the nature of his involvement with the Historic Buildings Council and the National Museum of Wales. Edwards' participation with both of these groups led him to investigate virtually all manner of artefacts. Over the course of the twelve years prior to his death in 1977 he also formed a fundamental part of the advisory panel for The Burlington Magazine.Overall, Ralph Edwards' enormous influence on the way in which serious art historical research has been, and continues to be, undertaken is not something that can be easily overstated. Ralph was one of the earliest scholars to confirm factual information pertaining to objects by means of uncovering sources contemporary to them. In this process he was instrumental in bringing to the public consciousness numerous craftsmen, makers and artists, ranging from those who had fallen into complete obscurity to more major and more widely known figures.This was the technique pursued with regards to both The Dictionary of English Furniture and Georgian Cabinet-Makers, despite claims that he later opined that there had become too much emphasis upon the analysis of historical letters and invoices. It is alleged that his subsequent view was that this strict and narrow approach had caused furniture history to become too dry and mundane an affair, possibly more akin to a lifeless regurgitation of old account books than a true labour of love. However it is not clear to what extent he believed this had already happened.An exceptional memory for country houses and their contents meant that Ralph Edwards was almost always able to accurately date a work of art or object, and more often than not suggest an attribution to a certain artist or maker where relevant and possible. His natural affinity for British and European history, allied to his supreme level of connoisseurship, has meant that even today he maintains his position among the very highest echelons of academia within the broad domain that is art history. LiteratureN. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316 & 319.... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
OF COLLECTORS' INTEREST: A late George II carved mahogany concertina-action card table1755-1760, the hinged crossbanded top enclosing a baize playing surface, above one mahogany-lined frieze drawer, on four scallop shell and bellflower clasped cabriole legs each carved with C-scroll ears and scrolled foliate spandrels, 87cm wide x 42cm deep x 71cm high, (34in wide x 16 1/2in deep x 27 1/2in high)Footnotes:ProvenanceThe present lot formerly belonged to Ralph Edwards C.B.E., F.S.A. (1894-1977), grandfather of the current owner and vendor.A charming photograph showing Ralph Edwards with his wife Marjorie inside their London family home is available to view online at www.bonhams.com. Therein they are pictured seated in their elegant drawing room inside Suffolk House on Chiswick Mall, located close to the Thames. Visible among the beautiful antiques and paintings is the George I giltwood and gilt gesso mirror which is lot 127 in this sale. A copy of this striking photograph is available upon request. A further image of Edwards whilst he was in Venice is also on our website.Ralph EdwardsAlthough principally renowned for The Dictionary of English Furniture, his most influential book first published in the period 1924-1927, Ralph Edwards was also an art historian, academic, connoisseur, author and collector within various fields of the fine and decorative arts. His genuinely eclectic yet thorough knowledge included, but was not limited to, subjects as diverse as: European paintings, watercolours, Hogarth, Old Master drawings, bronze sculpture, needleworks, porcelain, silver and English miniatures. Nonetheless his foremost area of expertise was undoubtedly in English furniture.Following his involvement in World War I, and despite successfully completing the necessary professional legal examinations, Ralph Edwards joined Country Life magazine as a member of their editorial team, where he remained for five years. The motivations behind this career-defining decision are a mystery, however as Nicholas Goodison writes in his superb 1978 obituary it was clear that on this occasion: '...art history gained what the law lost.' N. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. 902, 'Special Issue Devoted to the Victoria and Albert Museum', p. 316.Throughout 1924 and 1925, Edwards continued in this capacity at Country Life at the same time as working closely with Percy Macquoid (1852-1925) on compiling and creating what would thereafter become their seminal work, The Dictionary of English Furniture. Only one year later, Edwards took up the position of Assistant in the Department of Woodwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum, eventually being promoted to Keeper of that Department in 1937. In total he would retain this significant role for seventeen years until retiring, albeit apparently somewhat reluctantly, in 1954. During his tenure as Keeper at the Victoria and Albert, Ralph produced a number of books and articles concerning furniture, typically with particular attention to the history of English furniture. Arguably among the most notable of these were; a brief analysis of English chairs in the museum collection; Georgian Cabinet-Makers, which he assembled together with Margaret Jourdain in 1944; and the three volume revised edition of 'The Dictionary', eventually published in 1954. In his obituary on Edwards, Nicholas Goodison brilliantly encapsulated his primary achievement as Keeper in the Department of Woodwork:'In this role he [Edwards] did a great deal to raise the study of furniture from an inconspicuous to an important branch of the decorative arts.'N. Goodison, Ibid, p. 316.In spite of his retirement from the Victoria and Albert, that same year Ralph Edwards started to accept employment - essentially as a kind of senior consultant - with the Historic Buildings Councils of England and Wales. His invaluable aiding of these Councils lasted a staggering twenty-one years. At the same time, Edwards' output of publications persisted and this is exemplified by; the appearance in 1955 of the third version of Georgian Cabinet-Makers; a 1963 condensed single volume edition of his by then widely celebrated 'Dictionary'; and an almost continual provision of furniture-related articles. Added to this, for two years Ralph Edwards assisted in the editing process for the Connoisseur Period Guides (1956-1958). Yet, regardless of this huge workload he was always available to help the Arts Council and other official bodies whenever requested or required to do so.Aside from this specialist study in the realm of furniture, it is incredible to consider that Edwards was additionally responsible for literature on an assortment of other visual arts topics. For example he finished Early Conversation Pieces in 1954 which was a survey of the progression of what are generally referred to as 'conversation paintings', beginning in the medieval period and concluding with examples from the early 18th century.Evidently over the last two decades of his life there was much less focusing on the study of furniture which allowed his wide-ranging proficiency in many of the other decorative arts to flourish. Though it is difficult to know whether this was an intentional move away from his main specialism, it was perhaps inevitable given the nature of his involvement with the Historic Buildings Council and the National Museum of Wales. Edwards' participation with both of these groups led him to investigate virtually all manner of artefacts. Over the course of the twelve years prior to his death in 1977 he also formed a fundamental part of the advisory panel for The Burlington Magazine.Overall, Ralph Edwards' enormous influence on the way in which serious art historical research has been, and continues to be, undertaken is not something that can be easily overstated. Ralph was one of the earliest scholars to confirm factual information pertaining to objects by means of uncovering sources contemporary to them. In this process he was instrumental in bringing to the public consciousness numerous craftsmen, makers and artists, ranging from those who had fallen into complete obscurity to more major and more widely known figures.This was the technique pursued with regards to both The Dictionary of English Furniture and Georgian Cabinet-Makers, despite claims that he later opined that there had become too much emphasis upon the analysis of historical letters and invoices. It is alleged that his subsequent view was that this strict and narrow approach had caused furniture history to become too dry and mundane an affair, possibly more akin to a lifeless regurgitation of old account books than a true labour of love. However it is not clear to what extent he believed this had already happened.An exceptional memory for country houses and their contents meant that Ralph Edwards was almost always able to accurately date a work of art or object, and more often than not suggest an attribution to a certain artist or maker where relevant and possible. His natural affinity for British and European history, allied to his supreme level of connoisseurship, has meant that even today he maintains his position among the very highest echelons of academia within the broad domain that is art history. LiteratureN. Goodison, 'Obituary, Ralph Edwards', The Burlington Magazine, May 1978, Vol. 120, No. ... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: TPTP Lot will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Cyrus Edwin Dallin (American, 1861-1944): A rare patinated bronze equestrian figure entitled 'Appeal to the Great Spirit' presented to the Rt. Hon. David Lloyd George whilst visiting the USA in October 1923depicting a Native American Indian (Sioux) chief seated on his horse wearing a feathered headdress and with outstretched arms, raised on a naturalistic rectangular base, signed and dated,C.E.Dallin 1913 and with circled 'C' copyright mark, the end of the base inscribed GORHAM CO FOUNDERS ma OXC, and one side also numbered #122, 22.5cm highFootnotes:Provenance:Presented to the Rt. Hon. David Lloyd George during his trip to the USA in October 1923.Gifted to Frances Louise Stevenson (1888-1972), personal secretary, mistress and confidante to David Lloyd George and later in 1943, Mrs Frances Lloyd George, subsequently Countess Lloyd George of Dwyfor, CBE, after the death of Lloyd George's first wife Dame Margaret in 1941. Thence by descent to Jennifer Longford, née Stevenson (1929-2012), daughter of Frances Stevenson and possibly (now generally assumed) David Lloyd George.Thence by descent to the present owner and vendor in 2012.David Lloyd George:David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, OM PC (British, 1863-1945) was a British statesman and Liberal Party politician from Wales who had a long and distinguished political career in Britain. He initially served as Chancellor of Exchequer, later Minister of Munitions and then Minister of War before becoming Prime Minister between 1916 and 1922, when he ousted his then party leader Herbert Asquith. As the last Liberal to serve as Prime Minister, he held the office during the final two years of the First World War and led the British delegation at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference where he was principal negotiator. The conference subsequently saw the signing of 'The Treaty of Versailles' by the 'Big Four' which aside from Lloyd George for Great Britain, included the US President, Woodrow Wilson, the French Prime Minister, George Clemenceau and the Italian Statesmen, Vittorio Emanuele Orlando. However, Lloyd George's tenure as Prime Minister ended in 1922 after the Conservatives withdrew their support from his coalition government. Lloyd George visited the United States and Canada in the autumn of 1923. Accompanied by his wife, Margaret, their youngest daughter, Megan and his private secretary, A. J Sylvester, the purpose of the tour was to personally thank both countries for their help during the Great War and was a resounding international success. A contemporary British Pathe newsreel clip entitled 'Welcome, Lloyd George!' from October 1923 (available to view online), documents the arrival of the Welsh statesmen and politician to great acclaim. It includes footage of the huge street parades that were held in his honour and captions to the silent film include 'Biggest crowds in New York streets since homecoming of US', '(U.S.) Troops greet the 'Wizard of Wales' and 'Bombarded by hundreds of cameramen.'A further contemporary Pathe Gazette newsreel clip from later that month entitled 'In Minneapolis' - 'L.L. G.' meets Sioux Chief - 'Two Eagle' – eagle in peace, eagle in war' (also available to view online) further documents Lloyd George meeting and accepting gifts from the Chief and other elderly statesmen of the Sioux tribe and this can be viewed under 'Ll G Sioux Chief Aka Lloyd George – Sioux Chief (1923)'Lastly a black and white documentary photographic image (available to view online at www.bonhams.com) from this same meeting at Minneapolis illustrates the meeting of Lloyd George and Chief 'Two Eagle' and other members of the Sioux tribe and was used in the New York times, published 23rd October 1923 entitled 'Lloyd George on the warpath: the British War Premier' A possible explanation for why Lloyd George came to visit Minneapolis and why he was presented with the current lot which depicts a Sioux warrior can be confirmed in a historical biography of the Sioux physician Charles Ohiyesa Eastman and his Euro-American wife Elaine Goodale by Gretchen Cassel Eick, entitled 'They Met at Wounded Knee – The Eastmans' story'In the biography, Eick comments that in 1922 the US Secretary of the Interior appointed Charles Eastman to a national advisory 'Committee of One Hundred' to make recommendations to the President on Native American policy. 'The 'Committee of One Hundred' proposed reversing the policy of banning (Native) Indian dances and ceremonies. It recommended providing scholarships to allow (Native) Indians to attend public schools and colleges whilst improving the health conditions on reservations, all positions Charles Eastman advocated'.Eick then pertinently comments 'That year (1923) Eastman organised a reception for David Lloyd George.. who wished to meet some American (Native) Indians. Charles made sure that Lloyd George's wish was more than fulfilled'.Eick then confirms that at the meeting which took place on October 15th 1923 'Eastman led a delegation from the Cheyenne River Reservation to the Madison Hotel, Minneapolis, where they presented the Prime Minister (Lloyd George) with a peace pipe, headdress and an honorary Lakota name. The prime minister's adoption by the tribe was recorded on film, and President Calvin Coolidge wrote to Eastman that it was the most memorable part of Lloyd George's American visit'Cyrus Edwin Dallin: Cyrus Edwin Dallin was an American sculptor who created more than two hundred and sixty works during his career in a variety of subjects and was also an accomplished painter and an Olympic archer. However, he is best remembered for his heroic-scale public tributes in honour of America's indigenous peoples. As a child, Dallin was close to Ute families who lived on the nearby Springville settlement, and he had a deep respect for their culture and history. Because of this he was profoundly disturbed by the crimes he witnessed being perpetrated against them and other native tribes by the US government. As such his sculptures were intended as admiring personal reflections and social and political comments on their resilience in the face of ongoing subjugation. The offered lot of 'Appeal to the Great Spirit' is a reduction of the monumental group located in front of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts which is arguably Dallin's most famous work. It was exhibited at the National Sculpture Society in 1908 and awarded a gold medal at the Paris Salon of 1909 before being finally unveiled in Boston in 1912. Dallin confirmed that the piece depicted a mounted Sioux chief engaged in prayer with a higher power after defeat by the U.S. Army, commenting that he had captured the moment when the chief had made his'final appeal to the Great Spirit' after 'his signal of peace...had been rejected'. It was the fourth and final work in a series of equestrian sculptures that Dallin completed between 1890 and 1909 which he collectively called 'The Epic of the Indian'. In the first quarter of the twentieth century over four hundred authorised small-scale bronze casts of 'Appeal to the Great Spirit' were produced in three different sizes, this cast being the smallest size. Literature:Frances Lloyd George 'The Years That Are Past', Hutchinson, 1967Roy Hattersley 'The Great Outsider David Lloyd George', Little Brown Book Group, 2012For details of Lloyd George's visit to the USA and meeting with elders of the Sioux tribe in Minneapolis, see the following historical biography of Sioux physician Charles Ohiyesa Eastman:Gretchen Cassel Eick, 'They Met at Wounded Knee – The Eastmans' story', University of Nevada Press, Reno & Las Vegas, 2020, chap. 2For examples of similar Dallin works in different edition sizes see the following references:Rell G. Francis, 'Cyrus E. Dallin: Let Justice Be Done', Springville, Utah,... For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
ROYAL CROWN DERBY; five figural paperweights, 'Athena Owl' (signed by John Abblet dated 22.5.10 from the edition of 750), 'Barn Owl', 'Snowy Owl' (exclusive for the Collectors' Guild), 'Tawny Owl' and 'Owlet' (For the Collectors' Guild) (5).Additional InformationThe first four are boxed, Owlet is not. All have gold plugs, all in good condition.
TERENCE MILLINGTON; a pair of signed limited edition black and white prints, 'Piano' & 'Piano 3', the first signed and dated 71 and no.9/50, the second signed and dated 73, no.35/40, plate size approx 34 x 40cm and 37 x 58cm, framed and glazed (2). (D)Additional InformationThis lot qualifies for Artist Resale Rights. For further information, please visit http://www.dacs.org.uk or http://artistscollectingsociety.org
ROSSETTI (C), GOBLIN MARKET, first edition, illustrated Laurence Houseman, green cloth with gilt detailing, MaCMillan & Co, 1893; SHANNON (C), THE PAGEANT, with literary contributions by Yeats and illustrations by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1896 (2).Provenance: from the estate of Stanley Dobbin.Additional InformationGoblin Market with light rubbing and wear to the exterior, some slight fraying beginning to the bottom of the spine, internally the end papers with some browning and foxing, odd page with a blemish, and the title page with foxing, The Pageant binding is in poor condition and will need attention, some foxing and marks internally and general wear to page edges.
POWELL (A), three first editions from The Music of Time comprising BOOKS DO FURNISH A ROOM, 1971, HEARING SECRET HARMONIES, 1975 and TEMPORARY KINGS, 1973, all published by Heinemann; JOHNSON (B), UNDERWOODS, limited edition, University Press Cambridge, 1905; THE GOLDEN COCKEREL PRESS, THE HISTORY OF POMPEY THE LITTLE, limited edition, 178/400; with three editions of VISION, THE TORBAY DIARY OF ARTS, with a small selection of books illustrated Edward Ardizzone, and a selection of books and pamphlets on artists including the Edinburgh International Festival 1956 catalogue on Braque (qty).Provenance: from the estate of Stanley Dobbin.
NIVEN (L), RINGWORLD, first hardback edition, dark red cloth with unclipped dusk jacket, Victor Gollancz, 1972 and copyright Larry Niven 1970 (1)Ringworld was first published in paperback by Ballantine in 1970 however, this is the much preferred first hardback edition from 1972. Additional InformationThe red cover is generally clean and bright with a feint scuff to the front right corner and light rubbing to the top edge. The dust jacket is clean and bright with slight wear to the top edge of the spine section and a very slight tear to the top edge of the back section of the cover. Internally clean and bright. This is a first British edition (hardback), published in 1972 by Victor Gollancz. The printed card is loosely laid in - not stuck in. There are no ex-Libris marks or erasures.
ALFRED WAINWRIGHT; a collection of books by or about the author, to include WAINWRIGHT IN LAKELAND, 1985, WELSH MOUNTAIN DRAWINGS, 1981, LAKELAND MOUNTAIN DRAWINGS, vols 2-4, KENDAL IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, FELL WANDERER, EX-FELLWANDERER, 1987, WALKING IN THE HOWGILL FELLS, WALKS IN LIMESTONE COUNTRY, SOUTHERN FELLS book 4, Henry Marshall, 5th edition, and five pictorial guides (Quantity)Additional InformationKendal in the 19th century is a first edition. lakeland Mountain Drawings No 3 is a believed first edition 1982.Ex-fellwanderer is a first edition. also includes ‘walks from ratty’ and ‘old roads of eastern Lakeland’.
POTTER (B), THE STORY OF MISS MOPPET, first edition, concertina with fourteen pages of illustrations and fourteen pages of text, green envelope cover, Frederick Warne & Co, 1906 (1).Additional InformationThe concertina has a sellotape repair at the last fold and the residue of sellotape is currently present, the concertina is currently detached from the last page, the tab to the envelope cover has a sellotape repair to the back, other general scuffs and wear and tears on the internal gutters of the pictorial papers.
POTTER (B), THE ROLY-POLY PUDDING, first edition, with colour plates, text illustrations and blue cloth with mounted picture, Frederick Warne & Co 1908; THE PIE AND THE PATTY-PAN, colour frontis plate, other colour plates and text illustrations, blue cloth with mounted circular picture, 1905; GINGER & PICKLES, beige cloth with lettering in green, 1909 (3).
ASIMOV (I), I, ROBOT, first UK edition, with unclipped dust jacket, green cloth with black lettering to spine, London, Grayson & Grayson, 1952 (1).Additional InformationDust jacket rubbed and bumped along all edges and with a flattened tear to the top left corner of the front cover, generally grubby throughout and with a further tear to the top right corner of the back cover of the dust jacket, green cloth with light wear and fading to edges and a couple of slight blemishes, end papers with light toning, odd fox mark here and there internally.
GOLLANCZ SCIENCE FICTION; a collection of thirty-five novels in original unclipped yellow jackets to include Isaac Asimov, The Gods Themselves, 1972, Vincent King, Candy Man, 1971, and Phillip K. Dick, A Maze of Death, 1972, Kurt Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle 1963, Clifford Simak, Way Station, 1964, with two further Victor Gollancz books.Additional InformationThe Ian Watson and the Theodore Sturgeon are both ex-library copies with stamps inside, as are also the Tapestry of Time, and the Frederick Pohl Omnibus. The Disappearance is a 1972 reprint. Others appear to be original Gollancz issues with no mention of reprint or later edition on the back of the title pages. Cat’s Cradle appears to be a first V- Gollancz edition from 1963 with no other mention of reprints. Way Station also appears to be a first V-Gollancz edition with no mention of reprint, dated 1964 to title page and copyright 1963 to the reverse.
An important part of Triumph Motorcycles racing history, this time-warp factory TT racer is back on sale.Believed to be one of 6 factory racers entered by Triumph in the Isle of Man TT races in 1927. The frame number 'T.7.1' is thought to represent T for TT, 7 for 1927 and 1 as the first of the six bikesCrankcase halves are stamped 'T75', possibly the 5th 1927 TT engine producedTriumph TT racer Wilmot Evans is thought to be the rider in the 1927 TT as photos from the event show the same bulbous fuel tank (repainted in the 1960s)Never registered for road use but verified in the 1960s as a "genuine works racing model" by a family friend of previous owner, the late Ron CresswellApparently stored in the previous owner's loft since 1932. Photographs show the condition of the bike as found to be mostly complete and 'as is' todayA 'two-valve' model developed at Brooklands by Victor Horsman using his own cylinder head and a Triumph bottom end. Went into production in 1927 as the TT ModelThe bike on offer is fitted with the factory twin pannier fuel tanks with quick fillers, 8" front brake and Bentley and Draper fork stabilisers in a Triumph forkTotal-loss oil system via a mechanical pump. A separate oil tank is fitted under the saddleHigh compression pistons, large valves, 3-speed gearbox converted to foot changeTwin float-bowl Amac Track type carb. Lucas Racing magneto operated via the handlebarsUsed in the 70s and 80s at various events and was running when our vendor purchased it. Dry stored for last few years so may require some recommissioning before useFeatured in a 2012 edition of The Classic Motorcycle, photocopy on fileSpecificationMake: TRIUMPHModel: WORKS TT RACING MOTORCYCLEYear: 1927Registration Number: UNREGISTEREDEngine Number: 122032Click here for more details and images
TV 21 FIRST SERIES - a large group of magazines comprising a signed edition (Alan Fennell) of TV21 #78 together with issues #5, #8, #9, #11, #17, #18, #19, #21 (x 2), #22, #26, #27, #29 (x 2), #30, #31 (x 2), #33, #34 (x 2), #35, #37, #38, #41 (x 2), #42, #43, #45., #46, #48, #49, #51, #56, #60, #68, #71, #77, #80, #90, #96, #98, #101, #103, #104, #106, #107, #110, #113, #114, #115, #119, #127, #130, #131, #133, #136, #138, #157, #160, #172, #210, #211, #216, #223 (a few condition issues such as tears and missing pages) ; and TV21 extra editions to include THUNDERBIRDS (x 2), SPRING EXTRA 1967, SUMMER EXTRA 1966, SUMMER EXTRA 1965, 48 PAGE STINGRAY, INTERNATIONAL EXTRA (72 in lot)
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