Record book begun ca. 1710, belonging to an English engraver of goldsmiths' work, vellum-bound, containing a large number of pasted-in engravings and pulls from metalwork; England.

Eighteenth-century engraver's Record Book with vellum binding with engravings, pulls from metalwork, some designs, and drawings of coats of arms pasted in.

Pasted into each of the pages are a large number of engravings, pulls from metalwork and a few drawings, including portraits, object designs, coats of arms, landscapes, views, historical and narrative scenes, trade cards and ornament design (parts E.3:2-811-200 3 - NB parts 792-811 appear in a run after part 579). A fuller description is below:

The early part of the album consists of a sequence of portraits (exhibiting royalist sympathies) subsequently joined by landscapes, stuck on the right hand page of every opening. Around and opposite these have been added engravings of coats of arms, simple crests, monograms, pulls from metalwork and various miscellaneous prints (a sheet of calligraphy, trade cards, animals, shipping, topography etc). At pages 34/35 this arrangement breaks down and the armorial material bursts across a double-page spread and continues across every opening for the remainder of the filled front pages.

The earliest dated print is 1699 and the latest is 1736, although there are a number of earlier 17th century items and many more rococo cartouches from the 1740s and 50s. There are also a handful of 19th century additions and manuscript notes on the Hindustan language at the back of the book, dating from a later phase of ownership.

The most important drawings are individual designs for two ewers and a lidded tankard, all on left hand pages near the front. Of these designs, one ewer is signed and dated in ink WH 1709, the same initials as those incised on the front cover.

Signs of use on some of the prints include the indenting for transfer of the outlines of prints of animals and human heads, the filling-in of missing parts of the designs on pulls from metalwork and the captioning with names of a large number of prints and drawings of coats of arms and crests.

Purchased through the Hugh Phillips Bequest

This volume provides insights into the use of printed design sources and methods used by engravers of goldsmiths' work to record their output for future reference. The condition of the volume indicates that it sat on or near the workbench rather than on a library shelf. Signs of use of some of the prints include the indenting for transfer of the outlines of prints of animals and human heads, the filling-in of missing parts of the designs on pulls from metalwork and the captioning with names of a large number of prints and drawings of coats of arms and crests often in the form Mr ---, evoking the tradesman-client relationship. This adds to the understanding of fine art and design, between printmaking and the decorative arts, and between printmaking and engraving on objects. The volume also includes some drawings, the most important of which are individual designs for two ewers and a lidded tankard. One ewer is signed and dated in ink, WH 1709, which are the same initials as those incised on the front cover.

The earliest dated print is 1699 and the latest is 1736, although there are a number of earlier 17th century items and many more rococo cartouches from the 1740s and 50s. There are also a handful of 19th century additions and manuscript notes on the Hindustan language at the back of the book, dating from a later phase of ownership.

E.3:1-2003