Tam O`Shanter and Other Poems

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$ 60 480
Auction dateClassic
06.10.2022 12:00UTC -04:00
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CHRISTIE'S
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ID 813624
Lot 68 | Tam O'Shanter and Other Poems
Tam O'Shanter and Other Poems

Sangorkski & Sutcliffe illuminated manuscript in jeweled binding, 1931

SANGORSKI, Alberto (1862-1932) and SUTCLIFFE, George (1878-1943), calligraphers, illuminators, and binders. BURNS, Robert (1759-1796). "Tam O'Shanter and Other Poems." London, 1931.



A jeweled binding with 85 rubies and sapphires, for a long Sangorski illuminated manuscript of very fine quality and execution. The manuscript contains the poems "Tam O'Shanter," "Meg o' the Mill," "The Ploughman," "To Mary in Heaven," "The Sidger's Return," "There was a Lass," "O Bonnie was Yon Rosy Brier," and a 5-page life of Burns. The calligraphed certification leaf at end reads: "This manuscript: Tam O'Shanter and other poems by Robert Burns was designed, written out and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski. This manuscript will not be duplicated,” and is signed by Sangorski. A wonderful jeweled binding on an equally distinguished illuminated manuscript.



Folio (295 x 215mm). Illuminated manuscript on vellum, 21 leaves, plus 3 blank vellum leaves, mounted on guards. Pictorial title in colors and gilt incorporating the royal arms of Scotland in a border of scrollwork and thistles; full-page frontispiece portrait of Robert Burns also in a gold-ground thistle border; the text on pp 5-39 incorporating 15 additional miniatures for a total of 17; these include full-page depictions of Tam on horseback with lighting storm and 5 lines of verse, Tam dancing with pixies, Meg of the Mill, the return of the soldier, the lass and her farm, and Rosy Brier, and smaller landscapes and portraits as border miniatures and narrative initials; the borders are richly illuminated with gold, tooled gold and colors, enriched with several decorations including an owl, squirrel, bat, satyr, etc,; cream silk guards. (Some finger-soiling to initial blank, about three mounting guards loosening, some fraying to silk).



Full crushed crimson morocco jeweled binding by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, blue morocco doublures and flyleaves, all edges gilt. The upper cover with the poet’s initials in a recessed circular medallion executed in dozens of sapphires and rubies in a metal frame, surrounded by a gilt and inlaid morocco wreath and oval border of white thistles; this surrounded by a frame with white onlaid morocco flowers on a richly gilt-tooled pointillé background, circular strapwork designs of blue onlays at each corner set with a sapphire, strapwork designs at center of each edge set with a ruby. The lower cover with symmetrical design executed without jewels and the central panel featuring a gilt lyre and wreath. Spine gilt in six compartments with raised bands, gilt-lettered in two, a repeated gilt-decorated floral panel with onlaid strapwork in the remaining; board edges with double-gilt rule. Doublures and flyleaves of blue morocco framed in gilt, inner doublures with floral gilt corner-pieces including three red morocco onlay roses each; the upper doublure with central medallion of light blue morocco depicting a yellow and white songbird and banner reading "Woodnotes Wild." Stamp-signed by Sangorski & Sutcliffe on the lower doublure. Full morocco box lined with silk and velvet, metal clasps.

Provenance: Cornelius J. Hauck, 1893-1967 (Cincinnati Museum Center sale, Christie’s New York, 27-28 June 2006, lot 669).

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