Lot 61: HORSES & HUNTING -- SMITH, Charles Lorraine (1751-1835, artist). [ The Pytchely Hunt ]. London: H. Humphrey, 1791.

HORSES & HUNTING -- SMITH, Charles Lorraine (1751-1835, artist). [The Pytchely Hunt]. London: H. Humphrey, 1791.

Oblong 2° (370 x 505mm). Early 20th-century frontispiece leaf with hand-coloured aquatint portrait of Dick Knight, three watercolour vignettes to each side and a fox's mask-and-brush design beneath. The complete set of 8 hand-coloured aquatint plates by Francis Jukes after Smith, each c. 247 x 265mm, mounted within gilt borders. (A few light spots on frontispiece, one plate with small tear.) Early 20th-century red morocco gilt, covers with double gilt rules, front cover titled in gilt: 'A Distinguished Character in the "Pytchely Hunt"', spine gilt, gilt turn-ins, red silk endleaves with gilt fox-mask cornerpieces, gilt edges (a few light scuffs). Provenance: C.F.G.R. Schwerdt (bookplate; his sale, 19 June 1939, lot 824).

A FINE SET OF JUKES' AQUATINTS AFTER SMITH, which are, according to Siltzer, the only prints to depict the Pytchley Hunt. 'Charles Lorraine Smith ... was himself a great hunter and a friend of the famous Hugo Meynell. He was also an amateur artist and his pictures show the result of the happy combination of his hunting experience and artistic temperament' (Schwerdt). The great hunting feat of Dick Knight, huntsman to Lord Spencer, the Master of the Pytchley, is depicted on plate 3. This set is the second of the two earliest states, with imprints dated 1 May 1791 (the first state imprints are dated March 1790 and (?erroneously) March 1791). SCHWERDT COPY. Schwerdt III, pp. 89; Siltzer British Sporting Prints p. 255.

No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.

No VAT on hammer price or buyer's premium.