The Animals nearest to us
(Howitt, Samuel.) Howitt’s miscellaneous Etchings, old & new. New Edition. Etched title and
50 etchings
(c. 9-15 x 15.5-22 cm). (London,) Edw. Orme, 1812. 4to. Old cloth with back-plate and mounted title plate. Uncut.
Thieme-Becker XVII, 588 f. (erroneously with an William H. as etcher). – Compare with Mellon, Prints, 11 + Graesse III, 380 (both the edition of 1803). – Not in Schwerdt. – With the figurative exlibris of Dr. Roederstein. – On strong paper of 1822 watermarked I I S & S, the overlay leaves, irregularly bound with, watermarked 1828. – Binding more timemarked, upper inner book partially broken. Title and a total of 8 plates with faint tidemark partially reaching into one of the image corners though visible almost only in the mostly wide white (plate) margins. First and last plates with minimal touch of foxing, only title and frontispiece a bit more. Otherwise of fine freshness.
Showing in prevailing landscape, but also domestic or farming scenery besides cattle (9 + 3 together with sheep) , sheep (4 + 3 together with cattle) , pigs and chicken
an ibex family , red deer (6, one of which a rutting fight) ,
horses (10) , dogs + hounds (10) , lions (2) ,
fighting buffalos , wild boars .
Inscribed throughout: “Howitt”, partly with the additions “in. et f.” and Howitt’s and H. Brookes’ address resp. and dates of 1792 (4), 1797 (2) + 1801 (12). – In the Mellon Collection a comparable compilation of 49 sheets from several suites with dates 1792-1803. The edition of 1812 here obviously reprinted on occasion of Howitt’s death.
Samuel Howitt (1765 – London 1822) was “as practicing sportsman … superior in the natural depiction of hunting and sporting scenes … As etcher Howitt has an extraordinary pure and fine needle. He has … publicated numerous works with engravings and etchings after own designs” (Thieme-Becker, their erroneous repetition of Heller-Andresen’s assignment of this publication to a William Howitt – not known to Nagler – who also died in 1822 defeated by inscription + address). – The album here thus exemplary for
Howitt’s understanding of animals , howitt’s art of etching –
Here you have them !
Offer no. 12,227 / EUR 1432. / export price EUR 1360. (c. US$ 1850.) + shipping
„ … sind die Dachse perfekt verpackt und verschnürt bei mir … angekommen. Schon das Auspacken des Bildes hat mir große Freude gemacht und der ‚Ridinger‘ gefällt mir sehr gut, da es eine realistische Stimmung am Bau wiederspiegelt … werde ihn unter meiner Dachsschwarte aufhängen … Ich nehme dies zum Anlaß auch weiterhin in ihrem Fundus zu suchen … Besonderen Dank auch für die Beilage der Dez. 08 Ausgabe von Wild & Hund mit dem gelungenen (Ridinger-)Artikel … Ihnen nochmals herzlichen Dank für ihre fabelhafte Arbeit … “
(Herr K. R., 19. Juni 2009)