- Museum number
- 1913,0415.188
- Title
- Object: India-Proofs of Wood-Engravings by The Brothers Dalziel
- Description
-
Album with hand-written title page: 'India-Proofs of Wood-Engravings by The Brothers Dalziel. General Work - Various. 1870. This Book was made up at the time the engravings shown in it were done.' Half-bound in brown leather and gilt; lettering on spine reads 'Wood-Engravings by the Brothers Dalziel. XXVII. Various Works. 1870'. The album includes approximately 1770 wood-engraved proofs. Following the title-page there is a contents page written by the Dalziels; this is useful, though by no means comprehensive; it mostly refers to publishers, but sometimes to titles. The album contains numerous book and periodical illustrations of all sorts, including wood-engravings for literature, travel books, orientalist works, music publications, botany, and works for children. Most are done in collaboration with a draughtsperson (see list of producers for details), but there are also many wood-engravings after photographs. Contents include the following:
Nos. 1-143: miscellaneous wood-engravings, including numerous commercial prints, for example advertisements for paper, various seals and trademarks, and images of products (door handles, jewellery). Also inclucles a card (no. 4) for the Manchester Assize Ball, held on 16th March 1870, various architectural designs, titles for music publications, and several illustrations for diverse works, such as (nos. 128-129) Thomas Simmons’s ‘Oakdale Grange: A Tale of School Life for Boys’ (London: Bull, Simmons & Co, 1870).
Nos. 144-169: illustrations after various artists, most and perhaps all for the magazine ‘London Society’ (see especially vols 17 & 18, February – December 1870). This album section is titled ‘London Society’ in Dalziel’s hand, and appears to end at no. 169, though this is not certain. Twenty of the images are published vols 17-18 of ‘London Society’, and the remaining six are untraced (nos. 149, 152-153, 165, 168-169). One vehemently crossed through image (no. 149) may have been discarded.
Nos. 170-640, 1119-1353: these illustrations are all apparently for works published by A Strahan. Nos. 170-184 are miscellaneous images of all kinds, including the vignette title after Arthur Hughes for Louisa MacDonald, ‘Chamber Dramas: For Children’ (London: Strahan & Co, 1870). The remaining images are mostly technical or scientific images or diagrams, covering diverse topics such as ‘Optics’, the ‘Electric Telegraph’, ‘Descriptive Geology’, ‘Historical Geology’ and ‘Practical Engineering’ (all sub-headings in Dalziel’s hand).
Nos. 641-655: these illustrations are all for works published by A & C Black. Most or perhaps all of them are illustrations for the centenary edition of the works of Walter Scott, published by Black in 1871.
Nos. 656-679: these illustrations are all apparently for works published by William P. Nimmo, and are mostly religious, historical or orientalist images. Nos. 668-673 are mostly or all after Francis S. Walker, and illustrate ‘Old World Worthies: or, Classical Biography. Selected from “Plutarch’s Lives”’ (Edinburgh: William P. Nimmo, [c. 1870-1871]).
Nos. 680-708: these illustrations are all apparently for works published by Routledge. They include several images for children. Nos. 684 and 708 are labelled ‘Boys Mag’, and so were clearly destined for Routledge’s ‘Young Gentleman’s Magazine’. There is also a pictorial cover for W. J. Prowse, ‘Nicholas’s Notes, and Sporting Prophecies’, edited by Tom Hood (London: Routledge, [1870]).
Nos. 709-714: this section is entitled ‘English Society’ in Dalziel’s hand. Probably they are illustrations for the magazine ‘English Society in Town and Country: a monthly illustrated magazine of amusement and recreation’, published by James Hogg in 1870 and 1871.
Nos. 715-720: this section is entitled ‘Cassell, Petter and Galpin’ in Dalziel’s hand, and presumably these images are for various works published by that company.
Nos. 721-1068: apparently all illustrations for works published by Frederick Warne. Several subheadings in Dalziel’s hand, as well as some illustrated wrappers or title pages, identify some of the works for which the illustrations were made. Titles include: nos. 727-741, W Robinson, 'Mushroom Culture' (London: Frederick Warne, 1870); no. 742, Edward Lear, ‘Book of Nonsense’ (London: Frederick Warne, [nd]); no. 743 ff., John George Wood, ‘The Modern Playmate’ (London: Frederick Warne, [1870]); no. 823 ff., Francis Cater, ‘Every Man his own Cattle Doctor’ (London: Frederick Warne, [1870]); no. 1031, ‘Warne’s Coloured Map of the Seat of War. 1870’ (London: Frederick Warne, 1870).
Nos. 1070-1118, 1754-1758: numerous illustrations and titles for the periodical ‘Tom Hood’s Comic Annual’.
Nos. 1354-1420: covers and illustrations after various artists for ‘National Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Songs: Set to Original Music by J W Elliott’ (London: George Routledge, [c. 1870-1871]). Printed by Dalziel at the Camden Press.
Nos. 1421-1506: various illustrations for books published by Thomas Nelson, especially moralistic and children’s literature.
Nos. 1507-1685: various illustrations, apparently all for works published by John Camden Hotten. These include (nos. 1507-1515) illustrations and engraved title after J T Nettleship for Arthur Shaughnessy, ‘Epic of Women’ (London: John Camden Hotten, 1870); numerous illustrations (nos. 1588-1623) after Hugh Rowley for his own book, ‘Gamosagammon; or Hints on Hymen’ (London: John Camden Hotten, [1870]), printed by Dalziel at the Camden Press; and numerous illustrations after various artists for James M Haswell, ‘The Man of his Time: The Story of the Life of Napoleon III’ (London: John Camden Hotten, [1871]). There are other, miscellaneous subjects including portriats, e.g. of Charles Dickens (no. 1532). No. 1626 appears to be a reduced electrotype of 1627. Curiously, number 1621 is signed by a different wood-engraver, Horace Harral.
Nos. 1686-1770: illustrations for diverse works by various publishers including Smith & Co., Chapman & Hall, Tegg & Co, and Dalziel Brothers. Works include (nos. 1692-1694) an illustrated wrapper – for monthly installments – and two illustrations after S L Fildes for Dickens’s ‘Edwin Drood’ (London: Chapman & Hall, 1870).
- Producer name
-
Block cut by: Dalziel Brothers (All)
-
Published by: Alexander Strahan (Nos. 170-640, 1119-1353 (see object description))
-
Block cut by: Horace Harral (No. 1621(s))
-
Published by: A & C Black (Nos. 641-655)
-
Published by: William P Nimmo (Nos. 656-679 (see object description))
-
Published by: Routledge (Nos. 680-708, 1354-1420 (see object description))
-
Published by: James Hogg (Nos. 709-714? (see object description))
-
Published by: Cassell (Nos. 715-720 (see object description))
-
Published by: F Warne & Co (Nos. 721-1068 (see object description))
-
Published by: T Nelson & Sons (Nos. 1421-1506)
-
Published by: John Camden Hotten (Nos. 1507-1685 (see object description))
-
After: Frederick Barnard (Nos. 101?-102?(m), 1075(m), 1712(s) (for nos. 101-102, a monogram is present but it is different from Barnard's usual monogram))
-
After: Hablot Knight Browne (Phiz) (No. 1523(s) (signed 'Phiz'))
-
After: Walter Browne (No. 1090(m))
-
After: William S Brunton (Nos. 146, 150(m), 711(m), 1084-1089(m))
-
After: Adelaide Claxton (Nos. 144, 148, 154-157, 160-161, 166, 167(m), 710(m))
-
After: Alfred W Cooper (Nos. 674-679(m), 700(m), 708(m), 721-723(m), 725-726(m), 1427-1433(m))
-
After: Dalziel Brothers (Nos. 128-129)
-
After: Edward Dalziel (No. 1398)
-
After: Edward Gurden Dalziel (Nos. 1374(m), 1377(m), 1392(m), 1399(m), 1407(m))
-
After: Thomas Bolton Gilchrist Septimus Dalziel (Nos. 1362, 1365, 1368, 1370, 1389, 1403)
-
After: Luke Fildes (Nos. 1692, 1693(m), 1694(s))
-
After: Francis Arthur Fraser (Nos. 172(m), 177(m), 644-645(m), 651-653(m), 1357(m), 1359(m), 1385(m), 1406(m))
-
After: Henry French (Nos. 1032-1033(s), 1034(m), 1055-1057(m), 1058?, 1059-1062(m), 1363(m), 1366(m), 1396 (no. 1058 attributed on grounds of continuity))
-
After: Lorens Fröhlich (Nos. 680-682(m), 684(m))
-
After: Sir John Gilbert (Nos. 696-698(m), 699?, 719(m) (no. 699 attributed by Robin de Beaumont, probably on grounds of style and continuity))
-
After: Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (Nos. 4(s), 1098(s), 1099-1101, 1102-1103(s), 1104-1109, 1110(s) 1759-1770(s) (signature is 'Bab'; unsigned prints attributed on grounds of style and continuity))
-
After: Charles Green (Nos. 1369(m), 1518(m), 1524-1526(m))
-
After: Townley Green (Nos. 1714-1720(m))
-
After: Ernest Griset (Nos. 1356(s), 1360(s), 1376(s), 1380(m), 1381(s), 1387-1388(s), 1409(s), 1416-1418(s), 1419-1420(m))
-
After: Arthur Boyd Houghton (Nos. 1375(m))
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After: Arthur Hughes (Nos. 178(m), 1386, 1391(m), 1686-1691(m))
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After: W Jones (Nos. 1052-1054(m))
-
After: Francis Wilfred Lawson (Nos. 162(m))
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After: Edward Lear (No. 742)
-
After: John Leighton (No. 1725(m))
-
After: J Mahoney (Nos. 1373(m), 1382(m))
-
After: Henry Stacy Marks (Nos. 1383(m), 1394(m), 1397(m))
-
After: John Trivett Nettleship (Nos. 1507-1515)
-
After: George John Pinwell (Nos. 1379(m?))
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After: Warwick Reynolds (1069?(m))
-
After: Hugh Rowley (Nos. 1588, 1589-1603(m), 1604-1605, 1606-1609(m), 1610, 1611-1623(m))
-
After: H Sanderson (Nos. 1064?-1065?(m), 1092-1093, 1094(m), 1095-1096, 1097(m) (unsigned prints attributed on grounds of style and continuity))
-
After: Thomas Dewell Scott (Nos. 5(m))
-
After: William Small (Nos. 1361(s), 1367(s))
-
After: John Moyr Smith (Nos. 1082-1083(s))
-
After: Worthington George Smith (Nos. 727-741(m))
-
After: H Stannard (Nos. 823-833, 834(m), 835, 836(m), 837-866, 866a(m), 867-985, 986(s), 987-1030)
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After: Marcus Stone (Nos. 1111-1114(m))
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After: John Gordon Thomson (Nos. 147(m))
-
After: Harry Tuck (Nos. 145(m), 149(m), 158-159(m), 1072-1074(m))
-
After: H M Vining (Nos. 715?-717?(m) (the monogram is very similar to that used by H M Vining in 1863, but this attribution is tentative))
-
After: Francis S Walker (Nos. 153(m), 163(m), 668-669(m), 671-672(m), 1358(m), 1384(m), 1400(m))
-
After: John Dawson Watson (Nos. 151-152(m), 713(m))
-
After: W J Wiegand (Nos. 1078-1081(m), 1354(m), 1372(m), 1378(m), 1393(m), 1401(s))
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After: Harrison William Weir (Nos. 90-91(s))
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After: Joseph Wolf (Nos. 117(m))
-
After: Johann Baptist Zwecker (Nos. 662-667(m), 747(m), 776(m), 778(m), 803(m), 805-808(m), 810-811(m), 1040-1046(m), 1364(m), 1371(m), 1390(m), 1395(m), 1404(m), 1405?, 1408(m), 1410(m), 1412-1414(m), 1415 (nos. 1405 and 1415 attributed on grounds of style and continuity))
- Production date
- 1870
- Dimensions
-
Height: 448 millimetres (size of bound album)
-
Thickness: 44 millimetres (size of bound album)
-
Width: 304 millimetres (size of bound album)
- Curator's comments
- Catalogued by Bethan Stevens (University of Sussex) in partnership with the British Museum and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC); digital photography by Sylph Editions, London (www.sylpheditions.com).
This is one in a series of 49 albums in the British Museum with proof impressions of wood-engravings by the Brothers Dalziel.
An overview of the album has been offered here, but it would be possible to identify more writers, publications and artists on inspection as well as with further research.
In many cases, designers have been listed for the wood-engravings. Where no attribution comments are given, evidence is clear and has been verified (e.g. through publication details, etc.). Further, some indication has also been given throughout when a designer's work is signed with signature or monogram. After the producer's name and the print number or range, the letter 's' in parentheses indicates a signature, the letter 'm' a monogram, and neither letter indicates a print that is unsigned by the draughtsperson. In addition, most of the proofs have the Dalziels' signature, although some do not. The presence/absence of the Dalziel signature has not been catalogued, since it is known that all these prints are by them.
The album includes a relatively large amount of annotation from the Dalziel office, including frequent references to electrotypes of books. There is also more recent annotation, particularly by Robin de Beaumont, especially indicating designers (such annotation has been invaluable in compiling this catalogue entry).
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1913
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1913,0415.188
