The Autobiography of William Simpson R.I. (Crimean Simpson). Edited by George Eyre-Todd.

SIMPSON, William.

Published by London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1903

About this Item

First edition, limited issue, number 23 of 100 copies only, with the ownership signature of Edward Macbean, Simpson's friend and fellow freemason. On the front pastedown are two signed and dated cartes de visite of Simpson, one a formal portrait by Maull (1873) and the other an extraordinary image of Simpson in the guise of an Indian fakir (1873). "During the Crimean War Simpson became a pioneer war artist: dispatched by the printsellers Colnaghi & Son, he recorded the naval battles in the Baltic Sea and then went on to Balaklava in November 1854 to make accurate sketches on the spot. After the Indian Mutiny, Day & Son sent Simpson to India on a roving commission, to make studies for a large-scale illustrated book. Over three years he visited much of the subcontinent, including Tibet and its Buddhist temples, the Himalayas, Kashmir, and Ceylon. When he returned to England in 1862, he had travelled 22,570 miles" (ODNB). In 1866, he became a special artist for the Illustrated London News, travelling to Asia, the US, the Middle East, and Africa. He wrote his autobiography in his final years, forbidding publication until after his death. Macbean (1845-1915), whose signature is on the title page, was initiated into freemasonry in 1883, having established a successful business in Simpson's hometown of Glasgow. In 1887, Simpson appointed Macbean as a steward in London's Quatuor Coronati lodge, having helped found it in 1884. On return visits to Glasgow, the Simpson family often stayed at the Macbean residence. Octavo. Tissue-guarded photogravure portrait frontispiece with facsimile signature, 23 half-tone plates (1 folding), most from Simpson's sketches and paintings. Original quarter japon, printed spine label, blue sides, edges untrimmed. Rubbing and soiling to spine, staining at head of boards: very good.

Seller Inventory # 177929

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Autobiography of William Simpson R.I. (Crimean Simpson). Edited by George Eyre-Todd.
• Publisher: London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1903
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)