An Album Containing Fifty Cancelled Etchings and Drypoints ca. 1879

Whistler - Rotherhithe (cancelled)

James Whistler (1834-1903),   An Album Containing Fifty Cancelled Etchings and Drypoints   ca. 1879

An unusual album of fifty cancelled etchings and drypoints, many known only in cancelled impressions, printed on laid paper, in a contemporary half-leather binding with gilded tooled spine, measuring 15 1/4 x 11 inches. Inscribed in pencil on the verso of the marbled front fly-leaf Whistler / 50 Cancelled etchings and extensively annotated in pencil throughout.

Whistler declared bankruptcy in May 1879 and was allowed by the receiver to destroy his unfinished work and deface his copperplates prior to the auction of his property in September of that year, just before he left for Venice. About one hundred of these plates were purchased at the auction by The Fine Art Society which then published a small edition (probably no more than twenty copies) of fifty-seven of the cancelled prints; this is titled Fifty-Seven Defaced Etchings and Drypoints by J.A. McNeil [sic] Whistler.

The present album includes forty-eight of the prints published in The Fine Art Society’s edition and two prints not in that volume. Many impressions are annotated with titles, references to the Wedmore catalogue, or other notes. It includes a number of hitherto unknown impressions, or prints very rare in pre-cancelled impressions; most are also rare in cancelled impressions.

These impressions are quite fine; it is probable that they served as proof impressions for other albums of cancelled etchings published during this period. The prints are generally in excellent condition; the drypoints typically have substantial burr.  Printed on ivory laid paper with the watermarks Van Gelder and crowned shield with fleur-de-lis and letters vgj; all with wide margins (sheets vary in size).

The prints included are:

  1. F.R. Leyland’s Mother, 1874–75, Kennedy 103
  2. Lady in an Arm-Chair, 1861,  K. 79, known only after cancellation
  3. August Delâtre, Printer; 1858–59, K. 26
  4. A Man Reading, 1873–77, K. 137, known only after cancellation
  5. Astruc, A Literary Man, 1859, K. 53
  6. Greenwich Pensioner, 1859, K. 34
  7. Fumette’s Bent Head, 1859, K. 57
  8. A Wharf, 1859, K. 48
  9. Arthur Haden, 1859, K. 61
  10. Portrait of Whistler, 1859, K. 54, signed in pencil
  11. Mr. Mann, 1860, K. 63
  12. Rotherhithe, 1860, K. 66, not included in The Fine Art Society’s set
  13. Axenfeld, 1860, K. 64
  14. Riault, the Engraver, 1860, K. 65
  15. The Open Book, 1861, K. 84, known only after cancellation
  16. Jo, 1861, K. 77
  17. Landscape with a Fisherman, 1861, K. 83, known only after cancellation
  18. F.R. Leyland, K. 102, 1874–75, only a few impressions before cancellation
  19. Encamping, 1861, K. 82, very rare before cancellation
  20. Battersea Reach, 1863, K. 90, known only after cancellation
  21. The Toilet, 1863, K. 93, known only after cancellation
  22. Sketch of Heads, 1875, K. 104, very rare before cancellation
  23. Steamboat Fleet, 1875–77, K. 156, very rare before cancellation
  24. Irving as Philip of Spain, No. 2, 1876–77, K. 171
  25. Elinor Leyland, 1874, K. 109
  26. A Girl with Large Eyes, 1875, K. 131
  27. A Lady at a Window, 1875–77, K. 138, very rare before cancellation
  28. The Silk Dress, 1875, K. 107, only a few impressions known before cancellation
  29. Lady Standing, not found in Kennedy, but found in The Fine Art Society’s set
  30. Nude Figure Posing, 1874–75, K. 127, known only after cancellation
  31. Under Old Battersea Bridge, 1876–78, K. 176
  32. A Child on a Couch, No. 1, K.124, known only after cancellation
  33. Shipping at Liverpool, 1867, K. 94, very rare before cancellation
  34. The Little Velvet Dress, 1873, K. 106
  35. The Beach, 1875–78, K. 116
  36. Agnes, 1875–78, K. 134
  37. Swinburne, 1873–77, K. 136
  38. The Piano, 1875–77, K. 141
  39. The Scotch Widow, 1875–76, K. 142
  40. Speke Shore, 1875, K. 144
  41. Shipbuilder’s Yard, 1875, K. 146
  42. London Bridge, 1877, K. 153
  43. Sketch of Ships, 1859, K. 151, only one impression known before cancellation
  44. The Troubled Thames, K. 152
  45. A Sketch from Billingsgate, 1876–77, K. 168
  46. The Thames toward Erith, 1877, K. 165
  47. Lindsey Houses, 1876–77, K. 166
  48. From Pickle-Herring Stairs, 1876–77, K. 167
  49. Nude Girl Standing, 1873–78, K. 128, known only ae
  50. Irving as Philip of Spain, No. 1, K. 170, not included in The Fine Art Society’s set, very rare prior to or after cancellation.