Kaaterskill Books

Early use of photography for a sale catalogue

[Annan, James Craig]. Duke of Hamilton. Christie, Manson & Woods.

Catalogue of the Collection of Pictures, works of art, and decorative objects, the property of His Grace the Duke of Hamilton, K.T.... Saturday, June 17, and Monday, June 19, 1882, and the following day [Five Portions complete].

London: Christie, Manson & Woods, 1882. 234 pp. + plates. Illus. with 77 monochrome carbon print photographic plates. 8vo. Half red morocco over cloth boards, four raised bands. First edition. A near fine copy, rubbing on verso of plates, plates numbered in pencil. Buchanan 1. Item #37486

Two versions of this catalogue were produced, one without plates, and this, the illustrated version, with carbon prints by James Craig Annan (1864-1946), son of the Scottish photographer Thomas Annan. Annan was only 18 when he produced this series of prints (uncredited) for the spectacular Duke of Hamilton sale. There were 2213 lots auctioned over fifteen days in five sections which brought in 397,000 British pounds! In addition to the paintings offered, which could have easily formed their own museum -works by Botticelli, Breugel, Da Vinci, Durer, Fra Angelico, Giorgione, Holbein, Rembrandt, Rubens, Titian, Van Dyke, Veronese, and more- there was French furniture, Asian bronzes and lacquers, Sevres and Desden porcelain, and decorative objects in profusion. Photographs were somewhat new to illustrating auctions and "this is an early use of photography for a sale catalogue," according to William Buchanan in his "J. Craig Annan. Selected Texts and Bibliography," (Oxford. 1994), p. 137. Annan would go on to become an important British pictorial photographer and one of its master photogravure printers, contributing both his own work and gravures for other British photographers to Stiglitz' Camera Work (the January 1914 issue -no. 45- was devoted entirely to him). Scarce, especially in such beautiful condition and in such a fine binding.

Price: $450.00