Colour Plate & Illustrated
[WORLIDGE, Thomas.]
[A select collection of drawings from curious antique gems ...]
[London, 1768.]. First edition. Large 4to (approx. 42 x 33cm), frontispiece and 186 fine engravings (2 at end untitled), mostly 2 per page, printed entirely on satin, plates mounted on thick paper, without letterpress, as issued, finely bound in early nineteenth century green straight-grained morocco gilt, covers with starburst and circle tools to corners, gilt fillet and Greek-key borders enclosing triple gilt fillet panel with concave corners to outer panel, spine in six compartments, gilt lettered direct in second, gilt starbursts to others, double raised bands with red morocco gilt inlays, wide gilt inner dentelles with pineapple cornerpieces, cerise silk liners, light wear to binding, with small book label of Comte Chandon de Briailles, dated by hand 1940.
Worlidge's last work was a series of 182 etchings of gems from the antique (three are in duplicate). The series was published in parts, some of which seem to have been issued as early as 1754; but Worlidge died before the work was completed. It was finished by his pupils William Grimaldi and George Powle, and, being printed on satin, was published by his widow in 1768 at the price of eighteen guineas a copy ... No letterpress was included originally in the volume (DNB). The bibliography of this elaborate work does not seem to have been fully settled: Sinkankas notes the enormous confusion that surrounds this publication ... casting doubt that few bibliographic descriptions ... can be relied upon (p.1143). This is an especially luxurious copy and appears to have more than the usual 183 plates called for (Sinkankas). Each of the delicate engravings, printed on pale gold satin, is titled, and bears a caption denoting the contemporary owner of the gem depicted. It includes the untitled plate of Hercules slaying the Nemean lion which, like all the other plates in this volume, is not numbered. The frontispiece self-portrait of 1754 depicts Worlidge (1700-1766) in the style of Rembrandt, wearing a cap, drawing the Pomfret bust of Cicero. Sinkankas 7331.
Price: £ 8500
US Dollar Price: $ 16860
Stock Number: 52831