M & S Rare Books

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First Work Illustrated by Alexander Anderson

 

(JUDACIA). (ILLUSTRATIONS). JOSEPHUS, FLAVIUS. The Whole Genuine and Complete Works of Flavius Josephus the Learned and Authentic Jewish Historian, and Celebrated Warrior...to which is added Various Useful Indexes...also a Continuation of the History of the Jews, from Josephus down to the present Time...by George Henry Maynard...Illustrated with Marginal References and Notes...by the Rev. Edward Kimpton...Embellished with upwards of sixty beautiful engravings...engraved by American artists. New-York: William Durell, 1792-[94]. 1st ed. Folio. 6, [1], 8-264, 269-700, 703-723, [3] pp. 55 engraved plates [of 60], including two maps and a folding plan of Jerusalem. Contemp. calf, leather label. Rubbed; covers detached, but present. The missing plates are: The Falling of the Walls of Jericho; Solomon's First Sacrifice; Achab King of Israel Slain; Jerusalem Burnt; Antigonas King of the Jews, beheaded.   Some of the 60 commissioned plates may have been late, and sent out subsequent to publiication, as plates are lacking in many copies.

     to the text with which they were meant to be placed. There is no physical evidence that any of these plates was ever present in this copy: [no stubs, and no "shadows" left on facing text pages, which are clearly present opposite nearly all the 55 plates which are still present. $750.00

 

Rosenbach 87. Evans 24437: "First issued in parts, to be completed in sixty numbers, each number to contain an engraving...publication was not finally concluded until 1794."

Hamilton 207. "The decade of the nineties, however, derives its chief importance from the fact that in it Alexander Anderson, the most famous of our early wood engravers, began to work. He started as a copper engraver and at the age of seventeen made several line engravings for what was perhaps the most important illustrated work published in New York up to that time---The Whole Genuine and Complete Works of Flavius Josephus, published by William Durrell [!] in 1792. Indeed Anderson was the youngest engraver employed on this book." --Hamilton, p. xxxi.

This is one of the great illustrated books printed in the new United States of America during the 18th century. Almost by necessity, the roster of "American artists" responsible for these large engravings forms a Who's Who of early American craftsmen. Seven of these plates (including both maps and the folding plan of Jerusalem, along with the plate depicting the massacre of ten thousand Jews in a single day at Damascus) were executed by Alexander Andersen, who is generally considered America's first professional book illustrator.

There are fourteen plates, each, by Amos Doolittle and Cornelius Thiebout. William Rollinson made six, J. Allen five, and two are the work of Benjamin Tanner.