A Description Of The Collection Of Ancient Terracottas In The British Museum : With Engravings

British Museum - Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities

RA Collection: Book

Record number

04/3329

Author

Variant Title

Description Of Ancient Terracottas

Imprint

London :: Printed By W. Bulmer And Co. Cleveland Row; And Sold At The British Museum; And By G. And W. Nicol, Booksellers To His Majesty, Pall-Mall., 1810.

Physical Description

vii, [1], 39, [1] p., 40 pl. (incl. 2 dble. pl. and 38 pl. carrying 79 numbered images): t.p. vignette; 337 mm. (Quarto.)

Contents

[Half-t., t.p.] - Introduction [by Taylor Combe] - [note on t.p. vignette] - Ancient Terracottas No.I(-LXXIX) - [Plates].

Responsibility Note

All plates are signed as drawn by W. Alexander; and as engraved by Henry Moses, W. Bromley, R. Rhodes, C. Heath, Anker Smith, Neagle, W. Skelton, I. Fittler, A. Cardon, L. Schiavonetti, G. Cooke or Worthington.

The title-page vignette is signed as drawn by W. Alexander and engraved by G. Cooke.

Each plate, and the t.p. vignette, carries the publishers' imprint of the Trustees of the British Museum and the date of publication (June 1. 1810).

Summary Note

The publication-date of 1810 is given on the title-page and on each plate. A title variant appears on the half-title, 'A Description Of Ancient Terracottas'.

Most of the British Museum's collection of ancient terracottas had been assembled by Charles Towneley, who had acquired much of it from the sculptor Nollekens, who had bought a cache of terracottas discovered in a well at Porta Latina in 1765.

The plates show subjects from Greek mythology or decorative motifs. The first, two, double plates are overviews of the Museum's display of terracottas.

Provenance

Presented to the Academy by the British Museum and acknowledged 1811 January 23 (RAA CM IV, 272, 1811 Jan 23).

Binding Note

19th-century black half calf, brown paper-covered boards; red morocco spine-labele lettered 'Ancient Terracottas In The British Museum', spine lettered 'R.A.' and '1810'.

Name as Subject

Subject

Terracottas, Greek - Terracottas, Roman - History
Collections - Museums - Great Britain - 19th century
Mythology, Greek - Iconography
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 19th century

Contributors

Taylor Combe, 1774-1826.
William Alexander, draughtsman
William Bulmer, printer
William Nicol, bookseller
George Nicol, bookseller
Henry Moses, engraver
William Bromley ARA, engraver
Richard Rhodes, engraver
Charles Heath, engraver
Anker Smith ARA, engraver
James Neagle, engraver
William Skelton, engraver
James Fittler ARA, engraver
Antoine Cardon, engraver
Luigi Schiavonetti, engraver
George Cooke, engraver
J. Worthington, engraver
British Museum, publisher, previous owner, donor