Two plates from the rare series 'Sketches of Australian Life & Scenery'
[London, Published by Paul Jerrard & Son for the Proprietor Messrs. Newbold & Co., after 1865].
Two hand-coloured lithographs, individually framed and glazed at a much later date (matted just outside the printed border, obscuring the series title and plate number above the upper border; visible image sizes approximately 210 × 260 mm; external dimensions 422 × 447 mm).
Hand-colouring a little faded; light uneven tanning to the 'Bushrangers' plate; overall, in excellent condition (but not examined out of the frames).
The complete series comprises twelve views of the Australian goldfields in the manner of S.T. Gill; the set 'was probably issued loose, without any title or wrapper' (Wantrup, page 327). The two plates on offer are 'The Lost Bushman, or The Unfortunate Digger That Never Returned' (Number 2), and 'Bushrangers waiting for the Mails in New South Wales' (Number 5). The title is printed beneath the image, along with four lines of explanatory text; the 'Lost Bushman' plate also has an additional four lines of verse. Wantrup suggests a date of publication after the appearance of Gill's 'Australian Sketchbook' in 1865, due to the numerous similarities between the two works. Complete sets of this series (and probably individual plates too) are clearly rare: Wantrup refers to incomplete sets selling at auction in 1977 and 1982, and the only addition to the book auction records since then is the incomplete set in the 2008 Davidson Collection sale (when 11 framed and glazed plates sold for $18,640 against an estimate of $6000-8000). Ferguson 15738b; Wantrup 255. [2 items].
Item #129583
Price (AUD):
$2,500.00