Estate / Collection: The Howard Phipps, Jr. Collection, Erchless, Old Westbury

THOMAS BIRCH

The heads of illustrious persons of Great Britain... London, John and Paul Knapton, 1743 and 1751. First edition, two volumes in one, large paper issue. Contemporary diced russia decorated in gilt, red leather spine label, edges stained red. 20 3/4 x 14 1/4 inches; [8], 160, [4], 56 pp., with two title pages each with an engraved vignette designed and engraved by Gravelot, and with 108 engraved plates by Jacobus Houbraken and George Vertue. Wear to binding, with some cracking and staining to the leather, bumping to the corners and edges, losses at spine ends, the front joint is cracked and the rear joint is starting but the cords are intact, text leaves with some spotting and light toning, a few instances of offsetting from plates, the plates with occasional spotting, though generally clean and bright; together with, ALEXANDER WILBOURNE WEDDELLL. A Memorial Volume of Virginia Historical Portraiture 1585-1830. Richmond: The William Byrd Press, 1930. Copy # 305 of 1000. Red leather, gilt. Black and white illustrations, folding map. Wear to extremities, sunning to spine, unopened, the lot sold as is.

The Heads of Illustrious Persons... features 108 finely engraved portraits of important British figures, including royalty, aristocracy, political figures, authors, scientists, and more. Each portrait is accompanied by a short text and includes an ornate architectural border, often with allegorical objects or symbols that reference the sitter's career or attributes.