A collection of Artist's Proof Plates of images from "American Scenery"
Ca 1839. A group of 32 steel engraved proofs on india paper for Bartlett's famous "American Scenery." The images are mounted uniformly on larger card and are all captioned on the card with a preliminary title for the print, in three different penciled handwriting. Some have indications of page numbers "p. 12, p. 108". The bulk of the images (18) are of New York State. The titles below are listed as they appear, (sic). The NY images include "Hudson Highlands Bull Hill; View from West Point on the Hudson N. Yk.; Crow's Nest from Bull Hill West Point; Village of Sing Sing on the Hudson; Chapel of our Lady of Coldspring; View near Anthonys Nose Hudson; Entrance to Hudson Highlands, near Newburgh; The Narrows, Lake George; Little Falls, on the Mohawk; Village of Cattskill (sic); Rail Road Scene, Little Falls; The Outlet of Niagara River; Brock's Monument; New York from Weehawken; Narrows from Fort Hamilton, N.Y.; Park & City Hall, New York; Sabbath Day Point, Lake George; The Rapids above the Falls of Niagara.
The remaining images are of New England, Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic States. These include: Descent into Wyoming Valley; Trenton High Falls; Washington's Monument, Baltimore; East Point and Passamaquoddy Bay; Lake Winipiseogee; Notch House, White Mountains; Meredith, New Hampshire; Mount Jefferson from Mount Washington; Boston & Bunker Hill from the East; Valley of the Connecticut from Mount Holyoke; View on the Susquehanna; Northumberland, on Susquehanna; Mount Tom & the Connecticut River; Valley of the Shenandoah from Jeffersons Rock.
India paper measures approx. 11 x 8 1/2"; the card measures 16 x 10 3/4". The images are pristine- the cards are uniformly tanned with a few a little foxed. An unknown previous owner has penciled at the top border of the cards "1839 artists proof of engraving from Bartletts "American Scenery". RARE." This would be easily erasable.
The University of Guelph, Ontario holds an associated item, although the listing is a bit unclear. OCLC: 626941313 lists "Archival Material 119 plates (&) Thesis/dissertation/manuscript ."
An interesting grouping to research the development of Bartlett's steel engravings. Item #23345
Price: $3,750.00