ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851) - photo 1
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851) - photo 2
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851) - photo 3
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851) - photo 4

ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)

Lot 53
13.07.2023 10:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 6 930
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
Buyer Premiumsee on Website%
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 993080
Lot 53 | ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
Estimate value
£ 7 000 – 10 000
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)

‘The Night Riders of Nacton’ [‘The First Steeple Chase on Record’]. London: R. Ackermann, 1 March 1839.

A fine set of the first edition, first issue, of this famous Alken series. Recording a nocturnal romp by cavalry officers stationed at Ipswich in 1803, it became 'the single most popular set of sporting prints' (ODNB). The plates have the running title: ‘The First Steeple Chase on Record’. This is the copy that Percy Hawley of the Rosenbach Company recommended to Willard S. Martin, affirming it was ‘purchased by Dr. Rosenbach from the Librarian to His Majesty King George during a visit which the Doctor paid to Windsor on one of his trips to Europe a year or two ago. It is a very fine set and includes the leaf of text which is very rare.’ It is actually one of two sporting books which were being offered to Martin at the same time. Hawley’s second letter describes both as correctly watermarked and as ‘the most brilliant copies of these prints I have ever seen’. The set has three J. Whatman 1838 watermarks. Spitz notes the following issue points: the correct number of chimneys in plate 1; the intact shadow of the broken gate, and the correct number of trees in plate 3. Bobins IV, 1385; Mellon/Snelgrove 70: ‘the plates, aquatinted by John Harris, are of the highest quality’; Siltzer p.63.



Oblong folio (410 x 566mm). Letterpress leaf with drop-head title and text by Sidney Cowper. 4 contemporary hand-coloured aquatint plates by J. Harris after H. Alken tipped into an album, interleaved (spotting to plate versos, just a few spots showing through). Mid 20th-century black half morocco and grey buckram, front cover with black morocco title label lettered in gilt, smooth gilt-lettered spine, matching slipcase. Provenance: Willard S. Martin (two loosely inserted typed letters to Martin from Percy Hawley of the Rosenbach Company, date 3 and 7 June 1929, recommending the purchase of this 'superlative copy') – Joel Spitz (1888-1963; bookplate and stamp to final blank interleaf at end; sold in these rooms 27 May 2015, lot 150).









Special notice

No VAT is payable on the hammer price or the buyer's premium for this lot. Please see the VAT Symbols and Explanation section of the Conditions of Sale for further information
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
13.07.2023
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
Email
4FQ.AYGKAGLUQ@FO3G@
Buyer Premium see on Website
Conditions of purchaseConditions of purchase

More from Creator

ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
£3 000
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
£4 000
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
£4 000
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
£3 000
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
£2 000
ALKEN Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
ALKEN Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
£2 000
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
ALKEN, Henry Thomas (1785-1851)
£2 500
ALKEN, Henry [Thomas] (1785-1851)
ALKEN, Henry [Thomas] (1785-1851)
£1 000

Related terms

Frequently asked questions

First of all, you should register to be able to purchase at auction. After confirming your email address, enter your personal information in your user profile, such as your first name, last name, and mail address. Choose a lot from the upcoming auction and the maximum amount you want to place on it. After confirmation of your choice, we will send your application by e-mail to the appropriate auction house. If the auction house accepts a request, it will participate in the auction. You can view the current status of a bid at any time in your personal account in the "Bids" section.
Auctions are performed by auction houses and each of the auction houses describes their terms of auction. You can see the texts in the section "Auction information".
The results of the auction are published within a few days after the end of the auction. In the top menu of the site, find the tab "Auctions". Click on it and you will be on the auction catalog page, where you can easily find the category "Results". After opening it, select the desired auction from the list, enter and view the current status of the interested lot.
The information about the auction winners is confidential. The auction winner will receive a direct notification from the auction house responsible with instructions for further action: an invoice for payment and the manner in which the goods will be received.
Each of the auction houses has its own payment policy for the won lots. All auction houses accept bank transfers, most of them accept credit card payments. In the near future you will find detailed information for each case in the section "Auction information" on the page of the auction catalog and the lot.
Shipment of the won lot depends on its size. Small items can be delivered by post. Larger lots are sent by courier. Employees of the auction houses will offer you a wide range to choose from.
No. The archive serves as a reference for the study of auction prices, photographs and descriptions of works of art.
?>