Fore-Edge Paintings; The Sells-Trapnell-Mexborough Copy. Ack...

Estimate

£2,400 - £2,800

Fore-Edge Paintings; The Sells-Trapnell-Mexborough Copy. Ackermann (Rudolph, publisher), A History of The University of Cambridge, its Colleges, Halls, and Public Buildings, two-volume set, first edition, large paper copy, London: Printed for R. Ackermann, by L. Harrison and J.C. Leigh, 1815, half-titles, pp: viii, [2] (arrangement of plates), [ix]-xii, 296, [6] (index); [iv], 324, [8] (index), illustrated with 95 hand-coloured plates as called for (35 in volume I, 60 in volume II), of which 64 are aquatints, including the founders' portraits, and a stipple-engraved monochrome portrait of Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh, as Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, typical off-setting in places, uniform Regency diced tan calf boards, gilt-rolled fillet enclosing an anthemia border, rebacked to style in 20th c tan morocco gilt, some corners discreetly repaired, all edges gilt, the fore-edges finely and contemporaneously painted by John Harris of Mansion House Street, Kennington, [London] (pencilled attribution to final leaf of subscribers), volume I with Milton Abbey, Dorset, from its Capability Brown park, volume II with Syon House, Middlesex, the London residence of the Dukes of Northumberland, alternating dark and pale green endpapers, gilt-rolled dentelles, 4to (33.6 x 27.6cm), [Abbey, Scenery 79], (2) 


Provenance: 1) Rev. Alfred Sells, MA (1822-1898), lettered book labels to each pastedown. 2) Alfred Trapnell (1838-1917), mercantile ship's captain and noted collector, particularly of early Chinese, Bristol, Plymouth and Worcester porcelains, as well as books; his pictorial bookplates and shelf numbered labels (2191 & 2192) to each pastedown. Presumbaly sold at his sale, Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, April 1910, to 3) John Horace Savile, 5th Earl of Mexborough (1843-1916), of Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire; his armorial bookplate to verso of each ffep.