The work of John Kay is truly original.  If you look closely at his miniature portrait work, it will bring a smile to your face. In the example below the attention to detail is second to none and even the horse appears to be smiling! Also the additional fine hand colour makes for a very special collectors print. If you don't know his work I recommend you investigate.

John Kay (1742 - 1826) was born near Dalkeith, Midlothian in 1742. The son of a mason, he was apprenticed at the age of thirteen to George Heriot, a barber in Dalkeith. Six years later he moved to Edinburgh where he continued to work as a journeyman barber.  In 1771 he was enrolled a member of the Society of Surgeon-Barbers and set up in business on his own account. In his spare time he began to produce highly original portrait sketches and caricatures of Edinburgh characters, despite having no formal training in drawing.
 
He attracted the patronage of William Nisbet of Dirleton, who settled an annuity upon him, and in 1785 was finally able to give up his trade for art. Kay opened a shop in Parliament Close where he sold his etchings and from 1784 - 1822 he is calculated to have etched nearly nine hundred plates portraying many of the most notable Scotsmen of the day. Within twelve years of his death his caricatures were published in a two-volume book,  'A series of original portraits and caricature etchings by the late John Kay',  with a second edition following four years later.

Caricature of General Sir Ralph Abercromby K.B. by John Kay 1801 with gold mount & frame. General Sir Ralph Abercromby K.B Viewing the Army encamped on the plains of Egypt. c1801.

Kay's portraits were collected by Hugh Paton and published under the title A series of original portraits and caricature etchings by the late John Kay, with biographical sketches and illustrative anecdotes (Edinburgh, 2 vols. 4to, 1838; 8vo ed., 4 vols., 1842; new 4to ed., with additional plates, 2 vols., 1877), forming a unique record of the social life and popular habits of Edinburgh at its most interesting epoch.
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Take a look at some  more delightful John Kay caricatures HERE Every one is its own little comedy!

The name Arrowsmith is well known in map circles. Arron Arrowsmith (1750-1823) was the founder of one of the leading London map publishing houses in the early nineteenth century. He worked as a surveyor for John Cary, working on various road surveys which appeared in Cary's Travellers Companion in 1790. Having established his own business his reputation became widespread internationally as he specialised in compiling maps recording the discoveries made in different parts of the world. Arrowsmith was also diligent in revising and improving his maps to keep them current, and served as an inspiration for the next generation of surveyors.

​When Arron died in 1823 the business and title of Hydrographer to the King passed to his sons, Aaron (1802-1854) and Samuel (1805-1839) who worked as partners from 1823 to 1832, when Aaron resigned to join the church. While the partners never achieved the heights of their father, in addition to reprinting from his stock, they produced numbers of important maps for the Parliamentary Papers, a school atlas, a bible atlas and a series of wall maps of classical history.  Samuel died at age 34 in 1839; his brother presided over his funeral. The remaining stock and copper plates were bought at auction by John Arrowsmith, their cousin.

This map is an example from the school atlas: A Comparative Atlas of Ancient And Modern Geography, From original Authorities, and upon a New Plan For The Use Of Eton School, By A. Arrowsmith, Hydrographer to His Majesty. 1828. London, Published by the Author, 10, Soho Square, Sold also by E. Williams, Eton, and at the Eton Warehouse, 10, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. This edition Published Jany. 2, 1828 by S. Arrowsmith Hydrographer to His Majesty, No. 10, Soho Square.

​What's your favourite English Country House or Stately Home? Visiting these monuments remains a delight for lovers of history, architecture, formal gardens and the great English landscape. They've starred in everything from period sagas and Jane Austen stories to Star Wars and James Bond thrillers.  Maybe you have a favourite?

Rare antique engraved birds-eye views of such country houses are significantly important as they show the entire estate, grounds and formal gardens in fine detail and accuracy as they were at that time. Here's an example showing a view of Chipstead Place near Westerham Sevenoaks in Kent c1719 showing the house, gardens and the avenues.

Title: Chepsted Place one of ye Seats of David Polhill Esq.... c1719. Excellent View of Chipstead Place, Kent: T. Badslade Delin. I Kip Sculp. (London: D. Midwinter, 1719.) Copper Engraving, very fine impression.

A delightful bird's eye view of Chepsted Place engraved by Johannes Kip showing the house, gardens and the avenues of trees stretching out into the surrounding park. Engraved by Johannes Kip after Thomas Badeslade for John Harris's 'History of Kent in Five Parts'. The title is on a scroll at the top of the plate, along with Polhill's armorial. David Polhill of Chipstead, Kent, was an English landowner and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1710 and 1754. He was one of the signatories of the Kentish petition in 1701.

Harris was a Doctor of Divinity, author and a Fellow of the Royal Society. For his History, he commissioned Badeslade, an artistically inclined surveyor, to illustrate his work. These drawings were then engraved by Johannes Kip (1652/3-1722), a Dutch draughtsman and engraver who moved to England, and who, together with Leonard Knyff, specialised in engraved views of English country houses.

Birds-eye views are popular with print collectors, if you have a favourite Country House or Stately Home these are worth considering for your collection if you can find the antique engraved print.

Happy Hunting!

You can find out more about this original engraving HERE Chipstead Place 

If you're new to collecting antique maps one of the first things that confuses the novice is the term 'original map'. This was explained in part one of these posts. I also gave you a basic description of the intaglio print process resulting in the maps image being transferred to the paper. Also in part one I gave you some visual example images of 'laid paper' so you know what you're looking for.  As explained all maps were printed on laid paper up until around the end of the 18th century.

As map making entered the start of the 19th century a shift took place towards using paper produced on a new mold called WOVE.  This wove paper had been invented by James Whatman in 1757.  The development of ‘wove’ paper, producing paper on a smooth, regular-surfaced, woven mesh material that was pioneered by James Whatman at his Turkey Mill in Maidstone, Kent. It resulted in a sheet with a much smoother, less irregular surface than previously found in 'laid' paper

Like many other crafts, paper making by hand on a commercial basis eventually became non viable. The new technique quickly spread throughout Europe and America and soon it dominated the paper making industry. In time machines were developed that made paper on a continuous roll, no more individual sheets!  As we entered the first half of the 19th century this wove paper was most common, hence most original maps were produced on wove paper, sometimes watermarked sometimes not.

Again the place to start is with the paper but as explained you're now looking for a different set of clues because over time the paper making process changed. The images above are the result of shining a bright light behind the paper.  Often it is sufficient to hold the paper up to the light to see the kind of paper the map has been printed on.  Getting a little bit of an understanding of this subject is really valuable to you.  Being able to recognise paper in this way will help you greatly when it comes to identify if a map is original or a reproduction produced using modern paper processes.

In the next post on this subject I'll share with you what to look out for on the paper itself!  

Click the link to continue to Part 3 in the Series Collecting Antique Maps

What is it about living by a river?  For me I love being 'far from the madding crowd' I love the peace and tranquility that comes with walking in open countryside by the river. Having time to gather your thoughts, or clear you head, whichever is required. Maybe you feel the same about being by a river?

I'm a bit of a nomad so I tend to move home often. My wife says to me 'you're a Sagittarius' what do you expect?  In the last 50 years I've lived close to the River Thames three times. Way back in the mid 70's I used to live in Goring on Thames, beautiful part of the river. I've lived in Richmond, London right on the river and Marble Hill Park in a beautiful conservation area.  Now I live near Marlow in Buckinghamshire and walk the river as often as I can.

​My love of the river mixed with my love of aquatint prints leads me to sharing these landscape views with you. These aquatint plates were produced for the Boydells' major colour publication 'History of the River Thames'.  The two volumes originally published in 1794-6 contained sevent-six plates aquatinted by J.C. Stadler after the watercolours of Joseph Farington.

John Boydell, a land surveyor in the employment of his father, was inspired by an engraving by W.H. Toms to leave his home in Shropshire about 1750 and walk to London to apprentice himself to Toms. After six years, Boydell set up his own shop and thus began his career as one of the greatest of print publishers.  One of John's later projects, published with Josiah his brother, was this series of views of the Thames River Valley. These prints are excellent examples of the art of aquatinting, and they provide an intimate look at the heart of England during the late eighteenth century.

Enjoy!  If you're fortunate to live near a river, don't leave it to long before you take your next walk . . . .
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You can see more from the series of prints HERE Where a selection of the plates are available.

Maps are prized from around the world for all kinds of reasons, their beauty, historical significance, the stories they tell even the mapmaker or cartographer can play a role in an individuals reason for collecting! If Welsh map engravers are your thing then the work of Thomas Bowen will be of interest.

This map is of the "United States of North America. Including the British and Spanish Territories, carefully laid down agreeable to the Treaty of 1784." the work of Welshman Thomas Bowen. Engraved for Bankes's New system of universal geography, published by royal authority.

Thomas Bowen (1749-1790) was a Welsh engraver of maps and charts. He was the son of Emanuel Bowen (1720-17670) the map engraver to George II of England and Louis XV of France. Bowen is highly regarded for producing some of the largest, most detailed and accurate maps of his era. These highly attractive maps were also worked on by his son Thomas.

In spite of his royal patronage and renown,  Emanuel Bowen like many cartographers of his day, died in poverty. His son Thomas continued on the business however a similar outcome befell him and he died in Clerkenwell Workhouse in 1790.
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Finding maps with the name of Welshman Thomas Bowen noted as engraver or geographer is not impossible but finding this edition of the United states of North America is a little bit special.  So if maps of North America are of interest to you or you have a hankering for Welsh mapmakers this may just be what you're looking for!

iechyd da
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This map is currently available, more info HERE

Collecting rare landscape prints remains popular for many even in a tech filled world.  These topographical prints appeal to a wide range of interests, they remain collectors items, make wonderful decorative gifts and for some are an investment.

Aquatint may be something new to you, you may be surprised to hear it actually dates back to the mid-seventeenth century but really became a popular technique in around 1770. At the time aquatint was the perfect solution to reproducing landscape images, all in keeping with the popularity of watercolour painting at the time. 

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder the saying goes. The truth is you the observer get to decide what is beautiful, so see what you think of Daniell's work.  It's widely accepted one of the most impressive figures in the history of aquatinted topography is William Daniell.  Born in 1769, William was the eldest son of the landlord of the Swan Inn at Chertsey, Surrey. By the time he was 15 years of age Daniell's uncle Thomas took him to India where they spent years touring, painting and sketching.

​Prints more easy to find and popular are from his work "Voyage around Great Britain." All the illustrations were hand coloured aquatints, drawn and engraved by Daniell. The aquatints were initially printed in brown and grey-blue and the rest of the colouring was added by hand by a team employed by William Timms of Hampstead Road, London. The work took eleven years to complete. Starting at Land's End travelling up the northern coast of Cornwall, the coastline of Wales, north west England, Scotland, some of the islands and back down the east coast of England and then on back along the south coast returning to Land's End.

​The 308 hand-coloured aquatints were accompanied by a descriptive text written for the first two volumes by Richard Ayton.  A set of the Entire 'Voyage' sold for £60 or one and a half times what a fisherman or a sailor aboard a merchant ship could expect to earn in a year at the time!  The quality of colouring is exceptional on original plates, delicate and restrained.  If the coast of Great Britain is of interest to you then I can recommend none better than William Daniell aquatints.  His now very scarce superb views of London,  produced in larger folio size are very collectable, when you can find them!  Enjoy the hunt!
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The scarce aquatint print of Somerset House is available  HERE

If you're new to collecting antique maps one of the first things that confuses the novice is the term 'original map'. This is compounded by the fact that many maps are attributed to differing people, sometimes the cartographer or the engraver, sometimes to the publisher. Often map dealers will simply use the most famous name associated with the map.

So what exactly is an original? If there are many, how can they all be original? It's simple, when it comes to antique maps as with prints the term original refers to a print pulled from a plate or block that was made at a specific time in history. If a run of 100 prints were pulled from a copperplate of a c1700 map then each is an original.  

Today we are plagued with online sites saturated with reproductions of antique maps and prints. These reproductions are copies made by some other modern method more recent. Price alone should indicate as to original or reproduction but for those new to collecting its wise to do some basic research and be able to distinguish the different processes used in map making. This will aid you in making the right call when it comes to buying.

​To keep this post brief and give you something of a simple place to start if you're interested in maps made between c1600 to late c1700 these antique maps were printed using the intaglio print process. Basically the image is formed by cutting groves in the metal copper plate.  The grooves were filled with ink and the paper pressed onto the plate. This forced the fibres into the grooves to take up the ink resulting in the image being pressed onto the paper.  In the image above you can see the image has been pressed into the paper.  Notice the clearly visible plate mark around the edge of the image. Notice also the texture of the hand made paper.

I would suggest a real help to you as a new collector of maps is to get an understanding of what the map was printed onto, yes, the paper! Getting an understanding of the history of paper making and how it relates to old maps is the real place to start.  Have you heard the term 'laid paper' or seen it used by a dealer in describing a map. All maps were printed on laid paper up until around the end of the 18th century.  This process involved a slurry being made from linen and cotton rags and each sheet of paper being made by hand. The slurry was spread over a handmade wire screen mold.

​This laid paper has a very distinct appearance and is identified by the visible lines seen in the paper when held up to bright light.  The vertical lines (Red arrows), normally about an inch apart, called chain lines are clearly distinguishable from the horizontal lines (Blue arrows) called laid lines. Hence laid paper.

This is why its so important when possible to be able to examine an old map especially when you're new to map collecting and maybe not so familiar with knowing what to look for when it come to identifying and dating a map.  So the place to start is with the paper. In the coming weeks I'll share more info on this subject, this is a start, it's not just what's on the paper, its the very paper itself thats  all important.  

This is why I recommend the more you can go to auctions, see antique maps, touch them, feel the paper, examine it, hold the map up to the light. then you will start to see there is another world of exploration under the surface of the image - The all important paper!  Have fun!
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The map and images above: Rare Map of Southeast Asia, Indian Ocean and Australia "India Orientalis cum Adjacentibus Insulis Nova Delineatione ob oculos posita . ." c1730/42 Matthaus Seutter.  SEE THE MAP HERE

Click the link to continue to Part 2 in the Series Collecting Antique Maps

For those of you who go to auctions and love to have a rummage in the job lot boxes, this one is for you.  I must be honest I always try to have a quick look at said job lots.  When it come to decorative prints, sometimes old maps, you simply never know what you may come across. Often with not enough time to wade through a box with hundreds of items I'll take a risk.  If I've spotted a few things of interest then I'll take a punt and place a calculated bid on the lot. It's a bit like a lucky dip, you never know what you might get especially tucked away at the bottom of the box.  

Recently on going through a pile of prints I'd set aside momentarily, which turned into a couple of years, I noticed what was tucked away at the bottom of the box! To my delight I discovered a small number of scarce Russian Art prints. 

Having taken the time to research the prints I discovered they're from “Antiquities of the Russian State.” Originally conceived by A.N. Olenin, President of the Academy of Arts, and undertaken with the patronage of Tsar Nicholas I. with descriptions written by Stroganov and illustrated by Fedor Solntsev.  The work was published in a modest edition of 600 copies.

Czar Nicholas I, emperor of all Russia from 1825 to 1855, in a sense had his own image consultant, the artist Fedor Solntsev.  Nicholas commissioned Solntsev to make illustrations for what would become the work “Antiquities of the Russian State" Published 1825-55.  The book started as a portable version of the vast riches housed in the Kremlin’s collection; it became a go-to manual on the Old Russian style, which reflected the country’s medieval past visually and also connoted the czar’s power over a huge and heterogeneous country.

The large folio prints, loose as first issued are fine chromolithographs.  You can now see the prints online as they are  part of The New York Public Library's Digital Collection.  See the link below:

New York Public Library Digital Collection

I have just a handful of these scarce prints available, thanks to the bottom of the box! 
​You can see them here:  Russian Art

​A favourite of mine is the work of Alain Manesson Mallet a French cartographer and engineer. He started his career as a soldier in the army of Louis XIV, became a Sergeant-Major in the artillery and an Inspector of Fortifications. He also served under the King of Portugal, before returning to France, and his appointment to the court of Louis XIV.