Item 28b: A Letter by H[enry] F[oster] Sewall to “Mr. Kochler”, [18]87 May 18
Item — Box: 1, Folder: 28b
Dates
- Created: [18]87 May 18
Creator
- Sewall, Henry Foster, 1816-1896 (Person)
Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities
Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.
Access:
All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Letter/Correspondence/Receipt
Condition Note:
Good.
Measurements:
6 11/16 in. x 8 ⅛ in.
Description:
The following item depicts a letter written by Henry Foster Sewall to Mr. Kochler, dated May 18, 1887. In the letter, Sewall is writing to Kochler concerning some Rembrandt prints included in the Buccleuch collection he looked into for him. He explains the state and condition of eight prints, those including the Van Tolling, Tholinx, the X before Pilate (Christ before Pilate), Six’s bridge, Landscape with ‘White’ Pales, the Shell, and the little landscape. The eight prints come to a total of £2400. In the letter, Sewall notes which of the prints appear in worse condition, his opinion on the imitation of a few, and the rarity in tandem with what's being asked for each. He makes a note on the back that Tholinx is printed on the back of the Van Tolling. The final page notes that these were also collected by J. H. Hawkins, recognized by the greek lettering on the back of them. There is also a note that mentions that J. Barnard bought the Tholinx on February 24, 1770, at Mr Grose’s Sale for 25 ½ guineas.
The letter utilizes specialized language for the trade of print-making, namely the designation of what state each of the prints is in. A state is a stage in the development of a print, or a collection of prints from a matrix, material such as a copperplate, that has not been changed. A first state would be the first impression or print rendered. A second state occurs when the artist makes an adjustment to the design and so on. There is also a Unique state, which is a print that has been produced as a single work, without the intention of additional editions.
Rembrandt van Rijn was a seventeenth century Dutch painter during the Golden Age, as well as a prominent printmaker and draftsman. He is most famous for his manipulation and distortion with shadow and light, achieved by experimental brushwork, that creates a dramatic tone within his works. It was often thought that his paintings were akin to the art of storytelling for the emotion and feeling he rendered in both the subject and his viewer.
The Buccleuch collection, spelled Buccleugh in the letter, is a distinguished art collection that began its curation in the 15th century. It belongs to the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensberry. The diverse collection contains paintings of many named figures, including such artists as Van Dyck, Gainsborough, El Greco, and Rembrandt, alongside significant tapestries, furniture, silverware, and porcelain, gathered over centuries by the Montagu, Douglas, and Scott families. It is still considered to be one of the most influential private collections in the art world. “From paintings by El Greco, Van Dyck and Gainsborough to Mortlake Tapestries and sixteenth century rugs from the Middle East, there are some 500 paintings, 1,000 miniatures and an enormous selection of objects d’art. The vast majority of the collection is divided between three principal locations; Bowhill House, Drumlanrig Castle and Boughton House” (Buccleuch Living Heritage Trust).
Location:
New York
Transcription:
Front:
R[ecieved] May 19. 19. New York May 18/ [18]87 Dear Mr Kochler I have first seen 8 prints from the Buccleugh (sic) [Buccleuch] sale- of the rare Rembrandts in that collection , The Van Tolling or Tholinx is the only one I Ever Saw of this print, and is fine, but as a work of art inferior to several of the other portraits by the artist cost £800. The X before Pilate [Christ before Pilate] 1st State does not appear to be one of those with the add[initiona]l pieces of paper pasted on at the top State has been folded and backed in the upper part - the copy of Flannery is a wonderful imitation; however it is but a poor and ugly piece of work + I sh[oul]d judge one easily to be copied cost £11.50 the “5th State of the same is really the 6th or 7” with the museum + the name + date Cost £ 75 The descent from the Cross is 2nd State (before the whole inscription) and considerably damaged Cost ?
Page Two:
Six’s bridge is 2nd State Cost? Landscape with ‘White’ Pales in not the 1st State (as p[e]r catalogue) but has the name though not the date (is 1st State in Midelton but not in de Blanc Museum) The Shell is before the background and of course extremely rare, but the background unproved [disproved?] it, The print has barely a margin Cost £185. The little landscape No 204 of Wilson ) (size 1 ½ by 3 ¼ inches) is about as worthless ab(o)ut as can be imagined + has none of the look of a Rembrandt Cost £11.
About £2400 for 8 prints
Yours Truly HF Sewall
The Tholinx was on the back J. Barnard Bought feb 24th 1770 at Mr Grose’s Sale for 25 ½ Guineas
Along the side of the page: all of these prints were in the possession of mr JH Hawkins (over)
Page Three:
and have on the back his cost mark in greek letters in pencil. Hawkins seems to have been a tremendous collector of some 40 or 50 years age, and with Wilson the compiler of the Rembt [Rembrandt] Catalogue Raisonné has the pick of the Denva Collection when Woodburd bought it of Denvas heir. The Suudne Geuider(?) of the Buccleugh (sic) Coll[ectio]n is mentioned of Midelton at p[age] 214
Page Four:
Blank
R[ecieved] May 19. 19. New York May 18/ [18]87 Dear Mr Kochler I have first seen 8 prints from the Buccleugh (sic) [Buccleuch] sale- of the rare Rembrandts in that collection , The Van Tolling or Tholinx is the only one I Ever Saw of this print, and is fine, but as a work of art inferior to several of the other portraits by the artist cost £800. The X before Pilate [Christ before Pilate] 1st State does not appear to be one of those with the add[initiona]l pieces of paper pasted on at the top State has been folded and backed in the upper part - the copy of Flannery is a wonderful imitation; however it is but a poor and ugly piece of work + I sh[oul]d judge one easily to be copied cost £11.50 the “5th State of the same is really the 6th or 7” with the museum + the name + date Cost £ 75 The descent from the Cross is 2nd State (before the whole inscription) and considerably damaged Cost ?
Page Two:
Six’s bridge is 2nd State Cost? Landscape with ‘White’ Pales in not the 1st State (as p[e]r catalogue) but has the name though not the date (is 1st State in Midelton but not in de Blanc Museum) The Shell is before the background and of course extremely rare, but the background unproved [disproved?] it, The print has barely a margin Cost £185. The little landscape No 204 of Wilson ) (size 1 ½ by 3 ¼ inches) is about as worthless ab(o)ut as can be imagined + has none of the look of a Rembrandt Cost £11.
About £2400 for 8 prints
Yours Truly HF Sewall
The Tholinx was on the back J. Barnard Bought feb 24th 1770 at Mr Grose’s Sale for 25 ½ Guineas
Along the side of the page: all of these prints were in the possession of mr JH Hawkins (over)
Page Three:
and have on the back his cost mark in greek letters in pencil. Hawkins seems to have been a tremendous collector of some 40 or 50 years age, and with Wilson the compiler of the Rembt [Rembrandt] Catalogue Raisonné has the pick of the Denva Collection when Woodburd bought it of Denvas heir. The Suudne Geuider(?) of the Buccleugh (sic) Coll[ectio]n is mentioned of Midelton at p[age] 214
Page Four:
Blank
Creator
- Sewall, Henry Foster, 1816-1896 (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu