Roberts, David

FIRST EDITION, 6 volumes bound in 7, large folio (610 x 425mm.), 5 lithographed titles with pictorial vignettes and 241 lithographed plates, THE TITLES AND PLATES FINELY COLOURED BY HAND AND MOUNTED ON CARD, 2 engraved maps, lithographed portrait, contemporary brown half morocco gilt (near uniform - Holy Land by A. Tarrant, Egypt by T. Armstrong), the covers of Holy Land with mounted panels taken from the cloth gilt bindings of the original parts, gilt edges, some plates spotted (as often), Holy Land misbound, also lacks one title (vol.3), list of subscribers and "Description of title page vignettes...", short tear in title vol.1, Egypt with occasional cockling (mainly vol.2), spines very slightly rubbed, one hinge detached

Lord Northwick, early patron of David Roberts (see footnote), armorial bookplate in each volume

Abbey, Travel 385 & 272; Bobins I, 160; Tooley (1954) 401 & 402

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

THE DE LUXE HAND-COLOURED ISSUE WITH A SIGNIFICANT PROVENANCE, FROM THE LIBRARY OF LORD NORTHWICK.

John Rushout, second Baron Northwick (1769-1859), collector and art connoisseur, was an early patron of David Roberts. The artist's painting of Rouen Cathedral so impressed Northwick that he commissioned a replica, which became in 1826 Roberts's first exhibit at the Royal Academy, and his Departure of the Israelites, also commissioned by Northwick, in 1829, was instrumental in establishing Roberts' reputation.

Roberts' Holy Land, Syria, Idumea, Arabia, Egypt, and Nubia, was one of the most elaborate ventures of nineteenth-century publishing, providing the most comprehensive series of views of the monuments, landscape, and people of the Near East.

Unusually this copy is bound in seven volumes rather than six. The Egypt volumes are bound conventionally in 3 volumes with the plates in the same order as listed by Abbey. However the Holy Land section is bound in 4 volumes, with just 2 of the 3 pictorial titles used and with the plates in a somewhat random order and the map bound at the end of the Egypt volumes. In all likelihood this confusion occurred when the set was bound up from the original parts.

See also illustrations on lower cover of this catalogue and endpapers.