The Engraved Work of Sir Francis Seymour Haden, P. R. E. An Illustrated and Descriptive Catalogue.

Liverpool.: Henry Young & Sons., 1910.. Original publisher's cloth, circular vignette portrait and title to upper cover, title gilt to spine, t.e.g., spine darkened, small split to front hinge.. 4to. (292 x 242 mm).. Half-title with justification verso, frontispiece self-portrait of Haden with tissue guardleaf, printed title in red and black, introduction with list of works, exhibitions and chronology and the catalogue illustrated with 109 plates, each with tissue guardleaf reproducing 250 etchings and index. [PROVENANCE: Circular armorial bookplate of Gustave Bourcard to front pastedown, further bookplate of Bourcard to same together with a reproduction photographic portrait of Haden, biographical notices, letters &c. - see below]. Gustave Bourcard's copy with a number of original letters and his extensive annotations.From the edition limited to 225 copies.The scholar and collector Gustave Bourcard (1846 - 1925) was the noted author of a number of important late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century works on original prints ('A Travers Cinq Siècles de Gravures', 'La Côte des Estampes', 'Guide de l'Amateur de Dessins, Estampes etc. du XVIIIème Siècle' etc.) as well as a monograph (with a catalogue raisonné of the graphic work) of the artist Félix Buhot. A passionate collector, and clearly an admirer of Sir Francis Seymour Haden, Bourcard has annotated the present volume extensively in pencil and has included several tipped-in letters as well as other related ephemera.The letters include the following letter from Haden, two letters from Harrington, a letter from Colnaghi concerning an etching, catalogues of Haden's etchings by Gutekunst, price lists, a letter forwarded by Frederick Keppel (see below) and so on: - a single bifolium with manuscript text recto and verso to each leaf, with the address 'Woodcote / Alresford / Hampshire' and dated '4th June 1904' from Haden to Bourcade discussing a recent stay, requesting a further visit ('it must be the first week of June' as the garden is then at its best) as 'long as we are alive to receive you', presenting compliments to Bourcard and his wife (and requesting that she too visits and makes the acqaintance of Lady Haden) and discussing the sending of Haden's 'Grayling Fishing' ('not only the only one left (beside my [Haden's] own) but the very first impression from the finished plate') for Bourcard's friend Alphonse Lotz-Brissonneau and finally acknowledgingthe receipt of Bourcard's cheque for 8 Guineas. - the letter from Frederick Keppel, with the letterhead 'Frederick Keppel & Son, / Printers of Rare Etchings and Engravings' and the address '3 Duke Street, Adelphi, London' and dated 'April 30th 1904', is composed in French and concerns the enclosure of a letter by Haden himself. Keppel wites: 'Il faut que je vous fasse cadeau de la lettre de Sir Seymour Haden, ci inclus, - puisque elle parle si gentiment [sic] de vous même'; Keppel goes on to write that Haden had asked him to write on a half-leaf but that 'pour cela - c'est peu de chose'. - the letter to which Keppel refers, from Haden himself, and with the manuscript address as above and dated '28 Apr. 1904' is highly complimentary of Bourcard, describing him as 'un homme tout a fait distingué et charmant en joint' and that Haden was himself ill during Bourcard's visit: 'Malheureusement j'etais moi mème souffrant et plus faible, corp et ame, que l'ordinaire - a fact I hope and believe he was too well-bred to perceive'. Finally Haden begins discussion of a print titled 'Holmewood' (presumably one of Haden's own) found by Keppel that he does not remember before he has to cut himself short as the post is leaving.Further details are available on request.