April is forecast to bring showers of delightful lots to Dominic Winter Auctioneers.
This month's sale presents a remarkable collection of Travel & Exploration, Antiquarian Literature & History, Decorative Prints, Maps, Atlases and Caricatures as well as two private collections of Architecture & Engineering. Our bidders will be well and truly spoilt for choice this spring.
The sale includes a whole host of rare and special objects including a first edition of Salomon de Caus’s Les Raisons des Forces Mouvantes (1615), an important work regarding the history of the invention of the steam engine. In addition, the work focuses on grotto water features and fountains for palaces and gardens, and the construction of the water-driven instrumental organ. De Caus’s designs were described as "the eighth wonder of the world" by his contemporaries and this particular copy was previously owned by Jérôme Bignon (1589-1656), an author and chief librarian of King Louis XIV's Royal Library.
Other exceptional items on offer include Sowerby’s rare and beautiful Mineral Conchology of Great Britain (1812-46) with only two other examples previously appearing at auction. We also have a fascinating French School Portrait of a young black military cadet, (circa 1800-1810) from a private London collection. The fine pencil study possibly represents one of the sons of the famed Haitian revolutionary leader, Toussaint L’Ouverture. Browsing the catalogue will take you through views of Switzerland and Italy with a spectacular album of 35 fine colour aquatint views (1820-1830) combining remarkable detail and picturesque feeling by the leading aquatint publishers of the day such as Johann Jakob Wetzel (1781-1834) Gabriel Lory (1784-1846) and Samuel Birmann (1793-1847).
From Switzerland, we travel to London with the largest and finest map of the city to be printed in the 19th century by the famous C. & J. Greenwood brothers, illustrating for the first time many planned developments which have become statements of the capital's landscape. Then to the skies with a glorious collection of early to mid 18th-century celestial charts engraved by or after Doppelmayr, Homann, Seutter and Schenk & Valk. We are also pleased to offer a stunning selection of James Gillray caricatures, unquestionably the best satiric caricaturist of British political and social life in the age of Napoleon with outrageous and entertaining portraits of the rich, famous and frivolous.
We look forward to opening our doors for viewing on 8th and 9th and welcoming you at the auction the 10th of April.