MORGAN, J. Pierpont, collection. George Charles WILLIAMSON. Catalogue of the Collection of Jewels and Precious Works of Art. The Property of J. Pierpont Morgan, compiled at his request. London: Privately Printed at the Chiswick Press, 1910. Large 4° (362 x 272 mm). Title printed in red and black, 94 photogravure plates, 47 plates with an extra suite of proofs fully hand-colored and heightened in gold and silver leaf, each within a hand-drawn gold leaf border, lettered tissue guards. Original dark green crushed levant morocco, the upper cover with a large inlaid panel of polished lizard skin, finely wrought brass cornerpieces and centerpiece, the cornerpieces representing stylized dragons, the centerpiece incorporating a griffin and a gargoyle and with a mounted central amethyst, two wrought metal clasps with griffins and catches with grotesque heads, spine gilt panelled in six compartments with five raised bands, the second and fourth gilt lettered, green morocco doublures with Art Nouveau-style design of herons in lighter green inlaid morocco surrounded by swirling gilt tooled floral sprays, green watered silk liners with gilt ruled border, gilt edges (a few small scrapes to lower cover, one pin of clasp-catch missing). LIMITED EDITION, NUMBER 18 OF 20 DELUXE COPIES PRINTED ON VELLUM AND WITH THE EXTRA HAND-COLORED SUITE OF THE PLATES. The cost of this extravagant book was rumored to have been so huge that after J. Pierpont Morgan's death, his executors cancelled all uncompleted orders, leaving the compiler Dr. Williamson in financial straits. The objets d'art illustrated include rings, rosaries and rosary beads, reliquaries, necklaces, pendent jewels, silver and niello medallions, portrait medallions, ivory and enamelled caskets, buttons, seals, chalices, cups, perfume bottles, vases, clocks, a cabinet and a chest of drawers.
MORGAN, J. Pierpont, collection. George Charles WILLIAMSON. Catalogue of the Collection of Jewels and Precious Works of Art. The Property of J. Pierpont Morgan, compiled at his request. London: Privately Printed at the Chiswick Press, 1910. Large 4° (362 x 272 mm). Title printed in red and black, 94 photogravure plates, 47 plates with an extra suite of proofs fully hand-colored and heightened in gold and silver leaf, each within a hand-drawn gold leaf border, lettered tissue guards. Original dark green crushed levant morocco, the upper cover with a large inlaid panel of polished lizard skin, finely wrought brass cornerpieces and centerpiece, the cornerpieces representing stylized dragons, the centerpiece incorporating a griffin and a gargoyle and with a mounted central amethyst, two wrought metal clasps with griffins and catches with grotesque heads, spine gilt panelled in six compartments with five raised bands, the second and fourth gilt lettered, green morocco doublures with Art Nouveau-style design of herons in lighter green inlaid morocco surrounded by swirling gilt tooled floral sprays, green watered silk liners with gilt ruled border, gilt edges (a few small scrapes to lower cover, one pin of clasp-catch missing). LIMITED EDITION, NUMBER 18 OF 20 DELUXE COPIES PRINTED ON VELLUM AND WITH THE EXTRA HAND-COLORED SUITE OF THE PLATES. The cost of this extravagant book was rumored to have been so huge that after J. Pierpont Morgan's death, his executors cancelled all uncompleted orders, leaving the compiler Dr. Williamson in financial straits. The objets d'art illustrated include rings, rosaries and rosary beads, reliquaries, necklaces, pendent jewels, silver and niello medallions, portrait medallions, ivory and enamelled caskets, buttons, seals, chalices, cups, perfume bottles, vases, clocks, a cabinet and a chest of drawers.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
