John Ruskin | Series of 7 letters on the sale of a Turner, 1873-81

John Ruskin

Series of seven autograph letters signed, to "Sir"

providing his expert opinion on works by Turner, the first asserting a picture to be "a copy of a most beautiful Turner"; four letters on another painting, concluding that "it ought not be to bought for the Glasgow gallery" and grumbling about the trouble and expense of having been sent the original painting rather than a photograph; the final two letters discussing a drawing ("...send the drawing to Christies with a reserve price. No Turner is ever allowed by the London dealers to slip them; and you will get its full value..."); 10 pages, 8vo, 1 August 1873 to 21

August 1881; with an envelope labelled "Mr Ruskin's notes"; some creasing and pin holes

RUSKIN'S JUDGEMENTS AS AN AUTHORITY ON TURNER. These letters were evidently written to a dealer or collector who sought advice on a number of occasions, most notably over the possible acquisiton of a painting by the Corporation of Glasgow in 1879.