A Guide to the Knowledge of Pottery, Porcelain, and Other Objects of Vertu. Comprising an Illustrated Catalogue of the Bernal Collection of Works of Art, with the Prices at Which they were Sold by Auction, and the Names of the Present Possessors - to which are added an Introductory Essay on Pottery & Porcelain and an Engraved List of Marks & Monograms

1857 1st edition. 504pp + 12pp catalogue to front and rear. Fair/None. Blue decorative cloth boards with some rubbing/bumping to edges/spine, minor loss to spine ends, some scuffing, splitting to spine edges. Contents generally clean and tight but for minor soiling/browning, occasional splitting to gutters, occasional pencil notes to text, minor creasing, ink notations to reverse of title page. Beautiful B&W and hand-coloured engravings throughout. A look at the amazing collection of art and antiquities owned by Ralph Bernal (1783-1850). Bernal was one of the most eminent collectors of his age, but his huge wealth which allowed him to amass such treasures was financed by the Slave Trade. Following the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 and the Slave Compensation Act of 1837, he was paid the equivalent of £1.37 million in today's money, to compensate him for the loss of his slaves. His collection included armour and arms, furniture, porcelain, glassware, jewellery, paintings, silver, and lots more. The collection was dispersed by Christies in 1855, during a mammoth auction of over 4000 items, lasting days. This book contains beautiful images of some of the most prized pieces.…