Hamilton, Sir William

FIRST EDITION, folio (451 x 313mm.), parallel text in English and French, engraved additional title with hand-coloured aquatint vignette, double-page hand-coloured engraved map of the Bay of Naples, 59 hand-coloured engraved plates, the illustrations to the first part framed in black with a grey wash over the borders, CONTEMPORARY GREEN STRAIGHT-GRAIN MOROCCO GILT, spine in compartments with raised bands gilt, gilt edges, supplement without title, text and licence leaf (but with explanations of the text), extremities slightly rubbed

Sir William Curtis, 1st Bt. (1752-1829), armorial bookplate

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A HANDSOME COPY. Sir William Hamilton, antiquary and art collector, developed an interest in volcanoes while living in Naples as a British diplomat to the Spanish court. He was also an amateur scientist, having become a member of the Royal Society in 1766, to which he submitted many detailed and technical observations of volcanic activity around Naples and in Sicily, some of which are reproduced here. This lavish production, with illustrations by Pietro Fabris, details not only views of erupting volcanoes but also depicts volcanic rocks and landscapes, in particular those affected by the earthquakes and eruptions of the 1760s and 1770s, witnessed by Hamilton in the manner of a modern Pliny. Hamilton presented his collection of minerals and volcanic stone to the British Museum in 1767.