A Biographical Dictionary; Containing an Historical Account of All the Engravers, from the Earliest Period of the Art of Engraving to the Present Time. Complete in 2 volumes.

Joseph Strutt

Published by Printed by J. Davis for Robert Faulder, London, 1785

About this Item

Poor, missing 3 of the 20 plates (details below), but aside from this in Good condition overall. In a stout library binding of black buckram with cloth hinges and gilt titling on spines; call numbers scrubbed from spine; "Queens Borough Public Library" stamped on page edges; has a few date and serial number stamps internally, but no other signs of ownership. Heavy foxing on a few endpapers and the pages in contact with the plates; light foxing throughout; page edges stained and soiled, but only as seen with book closed. Published in 1785 (vol 1) and 1786 (vol 2). Volume 1 has a frontispiece and plates numbered I to VI, but plate VI is missing and there's a plate VII which is not described in the text. Two additional plates at the back of vol 1 show the artists' marks: "Monograms, Cyphers, &c." used to sign their work. Volume 2 is missing the frontispiece; it calls for plates numbered I to VII, but only 5 plates are present; these seem to be I, II, III, V, and VI. Awkwardly, vol 2 also explains the plate VII in vol 1. Two additional plates at the back of the book show the marks of the artists discussed in vol 2. The numbering is confusing, but it seems that 3 of the 20 plates are missing. The bulk of the text is an alphabetical listing of engravers, with their dates, whatever biographical details were available, and an assessment of their work.

Seller Inventory # 22

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Biographical Dictionary; Containing an Historical Account of All the Engravers, from the Earliest Period of the Art of Engraving to the Present Time. Complete in 2 volumes.
• Publisher: Printed by J. Davis for Robert Faulder, London
• Publication Date: 1785
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Poor
• Book Type: Book
• Seller catalogs:
  • For sale Feb 2026