THE SEASONS.
London: Longmans, Hurst, Rees, and Orme. Printed by T. Bensley, 1807.
This edition reprints the 1798 edition in which the engravings first appeared; these are the same strikes dated 1798. Folio (18"). [x], 244p. Illustrated with 21 engravings in stipple and line (5 full page) by F. Bartolozzi and P.W. Tomkins after paintings by W. Hamilton produced for this work, engraved dedication page in calligraphic style by Tomkins. Bound in quarter brown morocco with titles and panel ornaments in gilt. Some occasional light foxing, the plates with some spotting in the margins, the images all sharp and clean, binding extremes rubbed and with a little joint crack, but still quite an reasonable copy. Item #14811
Abbey Life 252; Lewine 532; Cohen/de Ricci 992; Bland. History of Book Illustration 221 (all for the 1798 edition).
"The Italian engraver Francesco Bartolozzi (1725-1815) was one of the chief exponents of the stipple technique, his reproductions of Hamilton's pictures for Bensley's 1797 edition of Thomson's Seasons being particularly impressive." (Rota. Apart From the Text. p.150).
Price: $1,500.00