Australian watercolour drawings and etchings, 1796-1809 / by J.W. Lewin, G.P. Harris, G.W. Evans and others ; Plates from Martyn’s conchology, ca. 1789 ; Plates of butterflies and gryllus

fonds

1796-1809

Graphic Materials, Watercolours, Prints

915877

Antiquarian Bookseller Charles W. Traylen purchased this scrap album at a country house sale on the instructions of the executors. There was no known family connection with the Lewin or Harris families. Reference: Library correspondence file

When acquired by the Library in 1950 this collection of watercolours, etchings and plates were in a scrap album. On the verso of the scrap album leaves were prints from the Victorian era (European portrait and landscape engravings, mostly from the 1830s), these were left in place. Leaves to which the sketches were attached have been left with the sketches as many of them had contemporary titles written on them.

The collection comprises:

SERIES 01
WATERCOLOURS
Australian paintings by J.W. Lewin, G.P. Harris, G.W. Evans and others, 1796-1809 [32 watercolours]

Series 02
ETCHINGS
14 hand coloured etchings of insects by John Lewin, 1803 : pre-publication plates of his Prodromus Entomology

PLATES
Shells : fifteen loose plates, chiefly from: Figures of non descript shells ... / Thomas Martyn, ca. 1789.
Includes plates of non-related miscellaneous engravings also.
Transferred to the Mitchell Library printed books collection, January 1950.
Call number: F594/3

Butterflies: five coloured plates of butterflies and two of gryllus.
Transferred to the Mitchell Library printed books collection, January 1950.
Call number: F595.78/B

It has been suggested that the album once belonged to William Paterson: see Rex & Thea Rienits, "Early artists of Australia", 1963, p.163-165