William Alexander | Picturesque Representations... Chinese, Austrians, Russians, Turks, English, 1814, 5 volumes

William Alexander

Picturesque representations of the dress and manners of the Chinese [-Austrians]. London: John Murray, 1814

2 volumes, 50+50 hand-coloured engraved plates 

WITH:

Picturesque representations of the dress and manners of the Russians [-English; -Turks]. London: John Murray, 1814, 3 volumes, hand-coloured engraved plates (Russians: 64, English: 50, Turks: 60), on Whatman paper dated 1809

together 5 volumes, 8vo (228 x 153mm.), uniform contemporary brown russia gilt, gilt edges, rebacked

William Alexander was official draughtsman to the British embassy to China of 1792-1794, so he was able to draw his Chinese vignettes from personal experience. His work was first published by William Miller, and when John Murray took over Miller's shop, he decided to expand Alexander's volumes on China and the Austrian Empire to form this set of five works covering the Russian and Turkish Empires and England. The original price for the set was £15-15s.

LITERATURE:

Chinese: Tooley 376; cf. Colas 75 (4to edition); Austrians: Tooley 375; cf. Colas 78 (imprint of Thomas M'lean but with the same plates); Russians: Tooley 378; Colas 2358; English: Tooley 374; cf. Colas 2357 (small folio edition); Turks: Tooley 378