⁂ Please note, the description for this lot has changed.

Flaxman (John, sculptor and draughtsman, 1755-1826), Wyon (William, chief engraver at the Royal Mint, between 1830 and 1850, 1795-1851) and others. Original Sketches for Medals, Seals, &c., 151 original drawings, 2 vol., vol. I with 81 drawings and watercolours by various hands [see list below], and vol. II with 65 drawings by various hands [see below], vol. I predominantly with designs for seals, medals, and coins, including over 30 drawings by and attributed to William Wyon, vol. II with medals and 43 original drawings by John Flaxman for cups, candelabra, ornamental friezes and of figural compositions, pen and inks, watercolours, pencil and chalks, all on various contemporary papers, neatly hinged onto thick album leaves, most bearing pencil attributions verso and on mounts, album leaves each approx.. 390 x 290 mm. (15 ¼ x 11 ½ in), one leaf lacking a drawing, otherwise complete, another drawing loose from album leaf, occasional spotting, browning, surface dirt and handling creases, half red morocco, marbled boards, spine gilt, one vol. with inside upper cover coming loose, rubbed and scuffed, folio, [probably compiled circa 1830-1850]

Provenance:
Possibly part ex-collection of William Wyon (1795-1851), or a descendant [for discussion of Wyon's relationship to John Flaxman, see Mark Jones, William Wyon as a Pupil and Follower of Flaxman, from 'Burning Bright: Essays in Honour of David Bindman', pp. 89-97, UCL Press, 2015]

Literature:
Westwood, Arthur [compiled by], Catalogue of the Books in the Library at the Assay Office Birmingham, 1914, p. 301; described as 'Two folio volumes in which are inserted original sketches and designs for coins, medals, etc., by William Wyon, Sir Thomas Lawrence, ... Thomas Stothard ..., and John Flaxman.'

Drawing highlights contained within vol. I include:
- Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830) Head of Minerva, design for a seal, pencil, 110 x 48 mm. (4 ¼ x 1 ¾ in)
- Sir Francis Legatt Chantrey (1781-1841) Profile portrait of William IV, design for a coin, pencil, 225 x 190 mm. (8 ¾ x 7 ½ in)
- William Dyce (1806-1864) Six sheets of designs for crown pieces or florins, various sizes
- E. Corbould (1815-1905) Over 30 sheets of coin and medal designs attributed to E. Corbould, possibly [?] Henry Corbould (1787-1844), various sizes
- William Wyon (1795-1851) Over 30 sheets of portraits, some of personal interest to the artist, others designs for coins and medals, various sizes

Drawing highlights contained within vol. II include:
- Thomas Stothard (1755-1834) Three sheets of studies for medals, including one for the coronation of George IV, various sizes
- Henry WilliamPickersgill(1782-1875) Five sheets of studies for medals, including the General Service Medal, 1793-1814, various sizes
- Richard Redgrave (1804-1896) Design for a brooch, "The Birth of Venus"; Study of Cupid's head, two works, various sizes
- Samuel Gurney Cresswell(first naval officer to cross the entireNorthwest Passage, 1827-1867) The accepted design for reverse of the Arctic medal, 1818-1855, pen and ink, 85 x 65 mm. (3 ¼ x 2 ½ in)
- Admiral Sir George Back (explorer of the Canadian Arctic, naturalist and artist, 1796-1878) Two sheets with designs for the Arctic medal, pen and black ink, each approx. 168 x 108 mm. (6 5/8 x 4 ¼ in)
- John Rogers Herbert (1810-1890) Four sheets of studies for medals and candelabra, various sizes

43 drawings contained within vol. II by John Flaxman (1755-1826):
PLEASE CONTACT FORUM AUCTIONS FOR FULL LIST

- Design for a silver covered cup, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 235 x 160 mm. (9 ¼ x 6 ¼ in)
- Design for silver covered cup with two soldiers as support, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 68 x 130 mm. (2 5/8 x 5 1/8 in)
- Design for an ivory cup mounted with silver, pen and brown ink, with text description below dated '14 June', on laid paper with partial watermark of Strasbourg lily, 220 x 178 mm. (8 5/8 x 7 in)
- Design for a table centre with figures on horseback, pen and grey ink with grey-brown wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 154 x 110 mm. (6 x 4 ¼ in)
- Design for candelabra, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, bears initials 'I.F' in the lower left corner, on wove paper without watermark, 267 x 147 mm. (10 ½ x 5 ¾ in)
- Design for candelabra, with bathing child and figures at centre, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper with J. Whatman watermark and date '181[?]9', extensive pencil inscription verso with extract from Matthew Prior's 'TheFirst Hymn Of Callimachus. To Jupiter', 315 x 205 mm. (12 1/4 x 8 in)
- Design for table centre, "Peace laying the olive branch on the bosom of Justice", pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 330 x 215 mm. (13 x 8 ½ in)
- Design for table centre, pen and grey ink with grey wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 167 x 100 mm. (6 1/2 x 4 in)
- Two sheets of ornamental design, pen and grey ink with grey wash over pencil, on wove papers without watermark, each sheet approx. 110 x 175 mm. (4 ¼ x 6 7/8 in)
- Sea Nymphs; Ino and Melicertes transformed to sea deities; Naiads, three works, pen and grey ink with grey wash over pencil, on wove papers without watermark, each sheet approx. 100 x 135 mm. (4 x 5 ¼ in)
- Design for reverse of a medal; Design for part of a candelabra, pencil and pen and gey ink, 85 x 75 mm. (3 ¼ x 3 in) and 95 x 140 mm. (3 ¾ x 5 ½ in)
- Six sheets of friezes and studies of antique statuary, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove papers without watermark, various sizes between 80 x 170 mm. (3 ¼ x 6 ¾ in) and 170 x 218 mm. (6 ¾ x 8 ½ in)
- Design for candelabra, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, bearing letters 'RBR' in the lower right corner, 315 x 210 mm. (12 ½ x 8 ¼ in)
- Five sheets of figure and group studies of Jupiter and Giants, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove papers without watermark, various sizes between 155 x 100 mm. (6 x 4 in) and 170 x 240 mm. (6 ¾ x 9 ½ in)
- Design for a centre-piece, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 310 x 200 mm. (12 ¼ x 7 7/8 in), numerous folds, splits, spotting and surface dirt
- Design for candelabra, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 182 x 100 mm. (7 ¼ x 4 in)
- Sheet with three studies for a group of figures, pen and grey ink over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 190 x 240 mm. (7 ½ x 9 ½ in)
- Friendship uniting the hands, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 190 x 285 mm. (7 1/2 x 11 1/4 in) - a tracing of the present drawing is held in the Metropolitan Museum NY [no. 23.68.1(18)], and the Victoria & Albert Museum hold a copy by Edward Hodges Baily (1788-1867) [see no. E.85-1964]
- Three sheets of designs for candelabra, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove papers without watermark, each approx. 163 x 67 mm. (6 ½ x 2 5 /8 in)
- Ornamental composition with lion, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper without watermark, 105 x 180 mm. (4 1/8 x 7 1/8 in)
- Two sheets of designs for centre-pieces, pen and grey ink with grey wash, on thin buff wove paper, each approx. 180 x 100 mm. (7 1/8 x 4 in)
- Study for a frieze, pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove paper with partial J. Whatman watermark, 73 x 237 mm. (2 7/8 x 9 3/8 in)
- Five sheets of designs for centre-pieces, two for "Aurora & Seasons", and two for "Diana and Nymphs", pen and grey ink with brown wash over pencil, on wove papers, two with Whatman watermarks, one woth partial date '[18]19', each approx. 243 x 170 mm. (9 ½ x 6 ¾ in)

⁂ A highly important and comprehensive collection of English metalwork design, featuring numerous original studies by the leading figures of the early 19th century, including 43 late-period drawings by John Flaxman, showing numerous rare examples of his designs for silverware.

Eight of the sheets by Flaxman bear the same numbering and pencil inscriptions as found on the British Museum's 'The Sisters and mother of Phaeton transformed into poplars, and Clymene into a swan' [see acc. no. 1900,0824.195]. Highly similar studies that lack these numbers and inscriptions can be closely compared with other examples in the British Museum's collection, such as 'Design for a monument - a mural tablet with figures of Science, to left, and Genius' [acc. no. 1888,0503.36], and 'Venus in her sea chariot, attended by Tritons and a Nereid, with a pedestal' [acc. no. 1900,0824.197]. The drawing 'Michael Seizing the Rebel Angels', also held in the British Museum [1888,0503.94], would appear to be on the same stock of Whatman paper as many in the present album. Other comparative drawings are located in the Stanford University Museum and the Huntington Library.