A Catalogue of the Pictures, Works of Art, &c. at Northwick Park

60 pp. 8vo, orig. blue cloth, upper cover gilt with crown. [London: J. Davy & Sons], 1908. The enlarged edition (1st ed.: 1864) of the catalogue of this famous collection. The collection was largely formed by the 2nd Lord Northwick (1769-1859), a prodigious art collector and connoisseur, who was active in the art market for over a half-century, amassing over 1400 pictures. Living on the Continent during his younger years, including a transformative period of eight years in Rome, he developed a profound knowledge of fine art. In 1800, he succeeded his father as second Baron Northwick and proceeded to devote himself entirely to collecting. "He acquired pictures of all schools, especially Italian pictures from all periods, Flemish pictures, and contemporary British paintings. His pioneering interest was in Italian pictures of the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. So extensive did his collection become that he built a special picture gallery at Northwick Park in 1832, and some years later acquired Thirlestane House in Cheltenham, the guide to which in 1846 listed over 500 pictures. By 1859 the collection exceeded 1400 pictures; sculpture, bronzes, antique gems and cameos, enamels, coins, carvings, miniatures, and manuscripts also formed part of the collection. Of liberal disposition, he opened Thirlestane House to the public and it became one of the greatest attractions of Cheltenham."-Charles Sebag-Montefiore in ODNB. Northwick died unmarried and intestate and his vast estate had to be auctioned off. In the course of 18 days, the auction netted £95,000 and a considerable portion of the lots was bought back by his nephew, George Rushout (1811-87), who inherited the title of 3rd Lord Northwick. This catalogue describes the items which he was able to acquire at the auction and return to Northwick Park. Arranged by room, the present catalogue lists almost 500 pictures, 24 miniatures, 47 engravings, and 78 bronzes, statues, vases, china, etc. Fine copy and rare.