Description:
Grand Tour Sketchbook with Drawings of Mark Twain, July-August 1879. Octavo sketchbook, purchased from G. Fell, stationer, 60 Piccadilly London, by an American abroad, containing 150 pages, almost all bearing pencil, pen-and-ink, and colored sketches of buildings, landscapes, people (with an emphasis on their dress and character) in Germany, Switzerland, and England, including the journey home to New York, with approximately thirty drawings made on board the Cunard line's Gallia in August of 1879, featuring two portraits of Mark Twain, who was a passenger, one in pencil, the other finished in colors, with some notations at the end of the book regarding English phrases and accents, travel destinations, costs, et cetera, the work of a trained and skilled artist with a sense of humor, should be seen; original half leather and marbled paper boards, 6 x 4 in.
Estimate $500-700
The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging. Condition requests can be obtained via email (lot inquiry button) or by telephone to the appropriate gallery location (Boston/617.350.5400 or Marlborough/508.970.3000). Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Skinner Inc. shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.
Keywords
cunard line, Germany, United Kingdom, LondonJohn Dorfman
Director, Books & Manuscripts
508-970-3293
Fine Books & Manuscripts
The Fine Books & Manuscripts department delivers scholarship, expertise, and attention to detail in appraisals, evaluations, and auctions of rare books and historically important material ranging from medieval manuscripts to presidential documents.