- Also known as
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A E Evans & Sons
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primary name: A E Evans & Sons
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other name: Evans, Messrs
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other name: Evans, Edward
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other name: Evans, Anne
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other name: Evans, Edward David
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other name: Evans, Albert
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other name: A & E Evans
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other name: Ann Elizabeth Evans & Sons
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other name: Anne Evans & Son
- Details
- organisation; dealer/auction house; publisher/printer; British
- Other dates
- 1819-1864 (in business)
- Address
- 1819-1856/57, 1 Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London
1854, 403 Strand, London
1857-64, 403 Strand, London
- Biography
- Firm of printsellers and publishers in business over two generations from 1819 to 1864. It had premises until 1856/57 at 1 Great Queen Street, on the corner with Little Queen St, as depicted in Thomas Hosmer Shepherd's watercolour of 1851, showing a large shop with prints in the windows and the sign 'Evans Print and Book Seller' (Crace,XXVIII.53; see Crace,XXVIII.53* for a related print). The firm moved in 1858 to 403 Strand where it remained until closing down in 1864.
The founder was Edward V. Evans (1789-1835), a Welshman who had worked in the printing office of Nichols and Son (q.v.); his widow, Anne Elizabeth Evans (1791-1858), carried on the business in conjunction with her two sons, Edward David Evans (1818-60) and Albert Evans (c.1824-1869), the latter continuing until 1864.
Several versions of the firm's name appear in the British Museum registers either as vendors or as agents commissioned to bid at auction; it is possible though unlikely that some of these records might refer to another dealer or individual of the same name. The Museum purchased more than 400 prints, together with some drawings and books, at the final sale of stock at Sotheby's 24-27 April 1865 (1865,0520.536 to 968).
- Bibliography
- Jacob Simon, British Picture Restorers, 1630-1950, with references to censuses from 1861 onwards (see NPG website)
'Catalogue of a collection of engraved portraits, the largest ever submitted to the public', of Edward Evans, Great Queen Street (nd, but presumably before 1835: Reid's annotated copy at Tt.2.18)
'The Fine Art Circular and Print Collector's Manual: catalogue of nearly 6000 etchings and engravings .... now on sale at A.E.Evans & Sons, 403 Strand' [nd, but 1857], followed by 'A descriptive catalogue of nearly 400 engravings unknown to Bartsch', 1857
