Thirty Plates Illustrative of Natural Phenomena, Etc. with a Short Description Annexed to Each Plate
London: The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. 1846. Edition: First Edition. , Binding: Full original brown cloth boards. Upper lettered in gilt with blind acanthus-leaf details in corners. , Notes: Josiah Wood Whymper RI (1813 – 1903) was a British wood-engraver, book illustrator and watercolourist. Born the son of a brewer, Whymper was apprenticed to a stonemason. He soon turned to drawing and painting, settled in London in 1829 and studied under William Collingwood Smith (1815–1887). After having an etching of London Bridge published, he became well known as an illustrator and worked for Black (for the 1857 edition of poetic works of Walter Scott), John Murray, Cassell and other publishers. His wood-engraving enterprise became one of London's most successful. He also painted watercolours, specialising in riverscapes, and gave drawing classes to pupils such as Charles Keene (1823–1891), John William North (1842–1924), George John Pinwell (1842–1875) and Frederick Walker (1840–1875). He also produced fine engravings of animals, fish, landscapes and wonders of the world for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, sold for 3/4d penny plain, 2d pence coloured. In 1846, Whymper made thirty engravings about dramatic natural phenomena such as the aurora borealis, whirlpools and icebergs. Examples of Whymper's work may be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
, Size: Thin folio (350 x 280 mm), Illustration: Very good example. 30 pages, each page with a handcoloured engraving. Beautiful and dramatic images, including the aurora borealis, Iceland geysers, glaciers, glacier tables, avalanches, breaking up ice floes, icebergs, Fingal’s cave, Niagara Falls, a prairie on fire, etc. Bookbinder’s ticket of Remnant & Edmonds, London on lower pasted endpaper. , Category: Book Natural History;. Ownership or other marking inked to front pastedown. Spine defective, some foxing to early leaves. Item #B7369
Price: $475.00