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Bovie

Also known as: Bovie; primary name: Bovie; other name: Beauvais; other name: Bovey
Details: individual; dealer/auction house; British; Male
Other dates: 1784- (fl.)
Address: St James' Market, London
Biography: Printseller, originally French. Smith notes that he had at one time flourished at Tunbridge Wells as a miniature painter, but by 1786 was known for frequenting evening print sales; he had attended court regularly, but became "so filthily dirty in his person and dress that few of the company would sit by him"; after his death Hassell Hutchins (q.v.) sold his few meagre possessions. His portrait, with annotations spelling his name differently each time, appears in 210*.c.4 and in two impressions of the related print (1852,0214.313 and 1876,1209.614).
Bibliography: J T Smith, A Book for a Rainy Day, p. 119 (events of 1786) Ms. notes in "Portraits of Characters who were constant attendants at Hutchins Auctions", PD 210*.c.4