Sydney Illustrated

Prout, John Skinner; Rae, John

Published by Sydney, Hobart, 1842

Language: English

Condition: Used - Fine Hardcover

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Sold by Leen Helmink Antique Maps, Huntington Beach, CA, U.S.A.

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Used - Hardcover

Condition: Used - Fine

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About this Item

Editio princeps. In exceptionally rare original colour.

The author's copy, with his signature [John Rae].

With the original watercolour drawing for the title page, signed by the artist [John Skinner Prout].

Sydney Illustrated by J.S. Prout.
With letter press description by J. Rae. M.A.
Sydney and Hobart, [1842-1844] (see note below)

Prout?s earliest Australian book: one of the rarest and best Australian view books.

The beautiful seminal work is the freest and most artistically successful of all depictions of the city of Sydney.

Condition

First edition, Quarto (355 x 245mm.), lithographed pictorial title page with a vignette of ?The Tombs, Garden Island? and 14 plates, all but 3 coloured by hand, 2 double-page, and a double-page map, all backed on linen, 42 pages of text, modern green half morocco.

A rare coloured copy.

With the ownership entries of John Rae (the author of the text), Gladys Hill, and Cecil A. Holland.

?the metropolis of a new world? : Prout?s marvellous views of Sydney

Ferguson notes that "the plates are sometimes found coloured'', citing a presentation copy from Rae. This copy bears his signature on the upper free endleaf, and in addition on the opposite paste-down contains a watercolour by Prout, signed, which has been mounted into the binding. The watercolour is reproduced as the pictorial title to this work. The main difference in the two is that a figure in the foreground of the watercolour is omitted in the printed version.

"John Skinner Prout was the nephew of the more famous Samuel Prout. He was born in England in 1806 and went to Australia in 1840. He returned to England in 1848, where he died in 1876. He was the first artist of any merit to go to Australia, and by his teaching, and by his endeavours to foster an interest in art, he had considerable influence on early Australian painting".

(Abbey)

Abbey devotes some space to a discussion of the date of the work, which was issued in parts, as "the title-page is very difficult to read'' - quite true. He eventually plumps for 1844 (as does Ferguson), though it is clear that the date given on the title-page in this copy ends either with a 3 or 5.

John Skinner Prout was the first important colonial artist to produce a series of fine plate books since the departure from the colony of Augustus Earle. In June 1842 Prout advertised for subscribers to a series of lithographed views of Sydney to be published in parts and to be accompanied by letterpress descriptions by John Rae, the first full-time town clerk of Sydney.

Although virtually the entire work (including the tinted lithographed title-page) was printed in Sydney by ?J.S. Prout, Australian Lithographic Establishment?, the last two plates and the map were printed in Hobart by Tasmanian engraver and printer Thomas Bluett. Bluett also printed a plain lithographed title-page with his imprint that is found in the collective issue of the complete work. Prout had visited Tasmania in January 1844 and determined to settle there. While in Hobart he had decided to conclude his obligations to his Sydney subscribers as quickly as possible. Completing the Sydney series on the spot, he made use of Bluett?s recently arrived press to print the final plates and double-page map in Hobart.

?Artistically and historically John Skinner Prout played a most important part in the development of Australian art and of the Australian plate book. Where earlier colonial topographical art had been constrained by the paramount demands of topographical accuracy in the representation of scenery, Prout was more concerned with painting and lithography as a form of art free of the restrictions of topographical convention. Furthermore, his enthusiastic advocacy of the arts helped to educate taste and to spread the popular acceptance of art in the colonies.?

(Wantrup)

Literature

Ferguson 3891; Abbey, Travel 576; Wantrup, 227a (requiring revision).

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Bibliographic Details

Title: Sydney Illustrated
Publisher: Sydney, Hobart
Publication Date: 1842
Language: English
Binding: Hardcover
Illustrator: Prout, John Skinner
Edition: 1st Edition
Condition: Fine
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Store Description

We are foremost antiquarian dealers and experts in early cartographic material, including the finest antique maps of all parts of the world. We have been in this field for more than 25 years. We are members of the International Map Collectors Society, the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, and the Washington Map Society. We sell antique maps, sea charts, atlases, travel books, (master) prints, drawings, paintings, navigational instruments and other items related to early cartography and the age of discovery. We sell to a wide variety of clients everywhere in the world: to private collectors, corporate collectors, museums, libraries, as well as to colleague dealers. All items offered are genuine and authentic antiques guaranteed to have been printed (or hand drawn, or painted, or manufactured) at or near the given date, mostly 16th and 17th century. We gladly provide certificates of authenticity. Items may be always be returned for a full refund if they do not meet up to expectation, no questions asked. We want happy customers only, we want you to be happy, because we want your repeat business. Our mission is to sell happiness. We focus on the extraordinary items that make a difference to any collection, on the items that (almost) no collection has. These can be relatively common items yet in extraordinary condition, or in stunning color, items of exceptional rarity, unique one-of-a-kind items, items in first state or first edition, items of utmost historical significance or fame, or items of outstanding beauty or decorative value. Whether you pursue a complete comprehensive overview of all maps of your region or theme, or whether you just like to have a few maps, going for the extraordinary items is the best way to make your collection stand out. Collectors and libraries will envy you and current and future reference books and websites may well show and refer to your very items. Extraordinary items yield more happiness, delight, satisfaction and passion. Collecting extraordinary items is a sound long term investment strategy. While common run-of-the-mill items are prone to price erosion, with ample supply and modest demand, extraordinary items are a robust value for money. Why buy an ordinary item in ordinary condition that is already present in hundreds of private and institutional collections? One that you can also buy easily at any future date? Always keep in mind that nobody really "needs" an old piece of paper. Especially one that is not-so-rare. Therefore it is better to focus on the extraordinary pieces. These items always remain in strong demand. We sell you the items that make a difference. You are always welcome to visit us in California or the Netherlands, but we have no storefront so only by appointment. We travel extensively in the US, Europe, Asia, Australia and we would be pleased to contribute to your collection and to meet you in person.

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