HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) and Pierre François Hugues, Baron d'HANCARVILLE (1719-1805). - photo 1
HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) and Pierre François Hugues, Baron d'HANCARVILLE (1719-1805). - photo 2
HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) and Pierre François Hugues, Baron d'HANCARVILLE (1719-1805). - photo 3
HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) and Pierre François Hugues, Baron d'HANCARVILLE (1719-1805). - photo 4
HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) and Pierre François Hugues, Baron d'HANCARVILLE (1719-1805). - photo 5
HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) and Pierre François Hugues, Baron d'HANCARVILLE (1719-1805). - photo 6

HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) and Pierre François Hugues, Baron d'HANCARVILLE (1719-1805).

Lot 160
10.12.2024 13:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 15 120
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1343516
Lot 160 | HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) and Pierre François Hugues, Baron d'HANCARVILLE (1719-1805).
Estimate value
£ 5 000 – 8 000
HAMILTON, Sir William (1730-1803) and Pierre François Hugues, Baron d'HANCARVILLE (1719-1805).
A Collection of Etruscan, Greek and Roman Antiquities from the Cabinet of The Hon. William Hamilton. Naples: 1766.
Printed in Naples, written by the English, and fêted by the French – Brunet calls it an ‘ouvrage précieux, exécuté avec beaucoup de luxe,’ while in Cohen-de Ricci’s judgement it is an ‘edition splendide et de grand luxe,’ – this work represents the culmination of the 18th-century European antiquarian impulse. It describes William Hamilton’s first ancient vase collection, assembled by Hamilton after his appointment to the court of Naples in 1764, and is profusely illustrated with fine hand-coloured engravings which not only helped change the way art historians looked at the humble pot, but is also ‘of great importance in the development of neo-classical designs for pottery and porcelain; it influenced Wedgwood especially’ (Blackmer).

Pierre François Hugues, an authority on ancient art, had introduced Hamilton to the Porcinari family, the owners of a large collection of ancient classical vases which Hamilton bought and enlarged, and then sold to the British Museum in 1772. Before their shipment of England, all the objects were listed, drawn and described under the supervision of the brilliant but unscrupulous 'baron'. The first two volumes of the catalogue were issued in 1767-1770, but publication was then interrupted by Hugues's expulsion from Naples, apparently for debt, and Hamilton had to overcome the difficulty of finding his copper-plates in the hands of creditors. Although Blackmer states that the edition was of 500 copies, it appears that only 100 copies of the two later volumes were issued (cf. I. Jenkins and K. Sloan Vases and Volcanoes, 1996, p.49), and this, together with the nine year gap in publication, would explain the relatively high number of incomplete sets. Berlin Kat 890; Blackmer 845 (435 plates); Brunet I, 321; Cohen-de Ricci 474.

Volume I (only, of 5), folio (505 x 390mm). Hand-coloured title in English and French, 3 engraved leaves of dedication, hand-coloured and plain plates, illustrations, culs-de-lampe and historiated initials, numbered erratically 1-130, with some 63 uncoloured single-page plates, 34 hand-coloured single-page plates, 14 hand-coloured double-page plates, of which one folding (folding plate numbered 55 with extreme right-hand edge lightly soiled and worn and with 3 associated short repaired tears, pl. 81 with 370mm tear across two-thirds of plate and through image with tape repair, 3 plates with fore-edges strengthened, pl. 109 with tiny spots of adhesion, occasionally faint soiling, mainly confined to extremes of margins, except pl. 80 which has some light soiling within plate image). 20th-century tan half morocco over marbled-paper covered boards, uncut (extremities lightly rubbed). Provenance: David Koning (19th-century engraved bookplate) – acquired from Bernard Shapero 2008.

Sold as a collection of plates, not subject to return.
Place of origin:Italy, United Kingdom
Auction house category:Printed books
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
8 King Street, St. James's
SW1Y 6QT London
United Kingdom
Preview
26.11.2024 – 10.12.2024
Phone +44 (0)20 7839 9060
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