PAST MATTERS

A Collaboration with The Society of Antiquaries of London

In Support of their

Past Matters Campaign

Having secured a new 999 year lease on their wonderful premises at Burlington House, the Society of Antiquaries is now raising funds to help plan the redevelopment of their building. Their aim is ‘a world-class heritage resource, making it more accessible, more welcoming and ready to inspire future generations’. The following prints are being sold in support of this campaign.

At its founding, one of the principal objectives of the Antiquaries was ‘to collect and print all accounts of Antient Monuments that come into their hands’ [sic]. The Society’s collection is now nationally significant in size and scope and includes works documenting antiquities, buildings and landscapes, as well as portraits, satirical prints, Indian drawings and much, much more. From its earliest days, publishing engravings enabled the Society to both foster interest in antiquarian subjects as well as providing a source of income. Engravings printed by the society were offered for sale to Fellows via its journal until as late as 1980, with prices having changed very little over time!

The following engravings were printed from plates owned by the Society in the late eighteenth-century and are on paper dating to that time. Those by Vertue were printed after the artist’s death when the plates came into the Society’s possession in the 1770s. The only exception is the plate of Charles I, which is on a Twentieth Century paper.

GEORGE VERTUE FSA (1684-1756)

As well as being one of the most productive engravers of the eighteenth century, George Vertue was a well connected, active member of London’s artistic community; he was an attendee of Kneller’s Academy of Painting and Drawing, a member of the Rose and Crown Club, and a member of the Virtuosi of St Luke. He was also an important documenter of art and the lives of artists working in Britain. His notebooks were used by Walpole as source material for his Anecdotes of Painting in England considered by many to be the first work of British Art History.

Virtue was a member of the Society of Antiquaries from its re-founding in 1717. As an engraver – most of the membership were Gentlemen – he was the natural person from whom they could commissions prints. He became their official engraver in 1737. Vertue’s works for the society was broad in scope; in 1722 he embarked on his encyclopaedic ‘A Compleat Description & History of all the Coyns relating to Great Britain’ and he made series on subjects such as Castles and Roman remains. In all he made a staggering eighty-six prints for the Society. So central was he to the society’s endeavours in the early eighteenth-century that, when the Antiquaries published the first volume of their celebrated Vetusta Monumenta, all but one plate was by Vertue.

Alongside his active role with the Antiquaries, Vertue continued to run a busy engraving practice of his own. Historic portraiture was one of his main stocks-in-trade. As well as serving as official engraver to Oxford University, in the 1730s he completed a series of portraits of ‘Loyalists’ to Charles I, followed by a huge volume of work for the ‘Heads of the Kings of England, and of several Famous Persons’, published by the Knaptons. He published two futher series of large plates of Tudor portraits in 1740 (Nos.4-6) and 1748 (Nos.7-10).

Vertue’s Plates at the Society of Antiquaries

Of all the plates commissioned of Vertue by the Society, only 8 depictions of pewter plates and one of a Roman pavement remain in their collection. However, in 1775, after his death, his widow donated a group of plates from his private practice and the Society purchased yet more in 1776. It was immediately decided that Vertue’s plates should be cleaned and that James Basire (1730-1802), the Society’s new engraver, should take impressions from them so that they could be offered to Fellows for sale.

Further Reading…

David Alexander, ‘George Vertue as an Engraver’, The Walpole Society, Vol. 70, 2008, pp. 207-517
Chiara Betti, ‘Lost Treasures Resurface; The Untold Story of the Society of Antiquaries’ Printing Plates’, The Antiquaries Journal, Volume 104, 2024, pp.304 – 342.
Martin Myrone, ‘Graphic Antiquarianism in Eighteenth-Century Britain: the Career and Reputation of George Vertue’, in Producing the Past: Aspects of Antiquarian Culture and Practice 1700–1850, edited by Martin Myrone and Lucy Peltz, 1999.

NOTE: All works are on view at 30 MUSEUM STREET, LONDON

All works are sold unframed and unmounted. If you would like framing, please contact us.
We hold multiple impressions of each print.

Individual Prints Sold

Individiual Prints Sold
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) DIPTYCH; ‘Charity Children of London in the Strand 7 July 1713’ (DA.124). Engraving. 1715. These plates were commissioned by Sir Richard Hoare, then Lord Mayor, whose grandson Henry Hoare, of Stourhead, gave them to the SAL, which republished them in 1774 (Alexander p.265). 14.75×26.5 inches.
£575
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) Egyptian Mummy (DA.372). Engraving. 1724. After a drawing by William Lethieullier, an army officer who had visited Egypt and was to be one of the members of the Egyptian Society founded. (Alexander p.293) 14×18 inches.
£275
Sold
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) King Charles I and Queen Henrietta Maria (DA. 844). Engraving. 1742. This is Vertue’s reworking of a plate by Voerst, whose name he removed. (Alexander p.364). Probably printed in the late Twentieth Century. 16×22.75 inches.
£575
Sold
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) ‘Familia Regia’ (DA.854); King Henry VII (1457-1509), Elizabeth of York (1466-1503), King Henry VIII (1491-1547) and Jane Seymour (1509-1537). Engraving. 1743. Numbered ‘PL.I’ when re-issued by the Society of Antiquaries in 1750 or 1771. Based on the picture by Remigius van Leemput (d. 1675), now at Hampton Court of which Vertue’s watercolour of 1736 is in the Royal Library. (Alexander p.366). 17.75×21.5 inches.
£475
Sold
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) The Memorial of Lord Darnley (DA.855). Engraving. Numbered ‘PLVII’ when re-issued by the Society of Antiquaries. The Earl and Countess of Lennox are praying beside the tomb of their son Lord Darnley, together with their grandson James VI of Scotland (later James I of England). Numbered PL. VII when the set was reissued. Based on the picture at Goodwood by Livinus de Vogelaare, of which there is another version given to Queen Caroline c. 1736 which was initially at Kensington Palace. (Alexander p.367). 17.5×22.5 inches.
£475
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) The Battle-Array of Carberry Hill near Edinburgh with the Surrender of Mary Queen of Scots to the Confederate Lords of Scotland, and the Escape of Earl Bothwell. 1567′ (DA.856). Engraving. 1742. Numbered ‘PL.VIII’ when reissued by the Society of Antiquaries. 18×22.5 inches.
£475
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) ‘The Children of Henry VII and Elizabeth His Queen’ (DA.921). Engraving. 1748. Included in Vertue’s second group of ‘Historical Portraitures’. Numbered ‘PL.II’ when reissued by the Society of Antiquaries. 18.75×22.25 inches.
£375
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) Mary Queen of France and Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. (DA.922) Engraving. 1748. Included in Vertue’s second group of ‘Historical Portraitures’. Numbered ‘PL.III’ when reissued by the Society of Antiquaries. 19×22.5 inches.
£375
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) ‘Frances Duchess of Suffolk and her Husband Adrian Stokes’ (DA.923). Engraving. 1748. Included in Vertue’s second group of ‘Historical Portraitures’. Numbered ‘PLIV’ when re-issued by the Society of Antiquaries. After the unattributed painting of which there are versions at Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire, and Montacute House, Somerset (Alexander, p.378). 18.75×22.25 inches.
£375
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) ‘The Lady Jane Grey’ (DA.924). Engraving. 1748. Included in Vertue’s second group of ‘Historical Portraitures’. Numbered ‘PLV’ when re-issued by the Society of Antiquaries. 18.75×22.5 inches.
£475
Vertue F.S.A., George (1684 – 1756) King Edward VI presenting the Charter for Bridewell Hospital to Sir George Barnes. (DA.954). Engraving. 1750. Numbered ‘PL.VI’ when reissued by the Society of Antiquaries. Published by Vertue as the first, and only, print of the third part of his ‘Historical Portraitures’. Related to a drawing by Vertue in the BM of the painting then attributed to Holbein. (Alexander p.383). 17.5×24.25 inches.
£375

JAMES BASIRE (The Elder) (1730-1802)

Basire was Vertue’s successor as official engraver to the Society of Antiquaries. He made a number of large engravings after drawings by Samuel Hieronymous Grimm. These two record wall paintings at Cowdray that were destroyed in the late eighteenth-century and so exemplify the purpose of the Society of Antiquaries’ print making activities.

Basire (The Elder), James (1730 – 1802) The Departure of King Henry VIII from Calais July 1544. Engraving. 1788. From a drawing by Samuel Hieronymous Grimm (1733 – 1794) after the wall paintings at Cowdray that were destroyed in the late eighteenth century. 20.25×35 inches.
£575
Basire (The Elder), James (1730 – 1802) ‘The Encampment of King Henry VIII at Marquison July 1544’. Engraving. 1788. From a drawing by Samuel Hieronymous Grimm (1733 – 1794) after the wall paintings at Cowdray that were destroyed in the late eighteenth century. 20.25×17 inches.
£475

GEORGE SIMON, Viscount Nuneham (1736-1802)
after PAUL SANDBY R.A. (1731-1809)

Sandby was drawing master to the Harcourt family, who he also taught etching. Although made in 1763 after Sandby’s drawings of 1760, Viscount Nuneham (later 2nd Earl Harcourt) evidently gave the plates to the Antiquaries, who republished them in 1785 as objects of antiquarian interest.

These prints are available
AS A SET for £675

Sandby R.A. (After), Paul (1731 – 1809) Oxfordshire; ‘A View of the Ruins of the Chapel at Stanton-Harcourt’. Etching. 1763. Made by George Simon, Viscount Nuneham (later 2nd Earl Harcourt) (1736 – 1809) after a drawing by Sandby of 1763. Published by the Society of Antiquaries 1785. Sandby was drawing master to the Harcourt family, to whom he also taught etching.
£200
Sold
Sandby R.A. (After), Paul (1731 – 1809) Oxfordshire; ‘View of the Ruins of the Kitchens at Stanton-Harcourt’. Etching. 1763. Made by George Simon, Viscount Nuneham (later 2nd Earl Harcourt) (1736 – 1809) after a drawing by Sandby of 1760. Published by the Society of Antiquaries 1785. Sandby was drawing master to the Harcourt family, to whom he also taught etching
£200
Sandby R.A. (After), Paul (1731 – 1809) Oxfordshire; ‘A View of the Ruins of the Kitchen, and part of the offices at Stanton-Harcourt’. Etching. 1763. Made by George Simon, Viscount Nuneham (later 2nd Earl Harcourt) (1736 – 1809) after a drawing by Sandby of 1760. Published by the Society of Antiquaries 1785. Sandby was drawing master to the Harcourt family, to whom he also taught etching 20.5×27.5 inches.
£200
Sold
Sandby R.A. (After), Paul (1731 – 1809) ‘A View of the Ruins of the Chappel at Stanton-Harcourt in the County of Oxford’. Etching. 1763. Made by George Simon, Viscount Nuneham (later 2nd Earl Harcourt) (1736 – 1809) after a drawing by Sandby of 1760. Published by the Society of Antiquaries 1785. Sandby was drawing master to the Harcourt family, to whom he also taught etching 20.5×27.75 inches.
£200

DRAWN TO DISCOVERY

An evening
at the Society of Antiquaries

Thursday 6th November 5-8pm

Join us for an exclusive evening celebrating the hidden treasures of one of Britain’s greatest collections of prints and drawings.
The event includes a drinks reception throughout the evening and there are hourly spotlight talks in the Library at 5:30pm, 6:30pm and 7:30pm.

The Society holds more than 55,000 works on paper — from the 17th to the 20th centuries — including original illustrations by George Vertue, Charles Stothard, William Blake, Thomas Girtin and the Smirke brothers. These images are not just works of art, they pioneered new ways of recording the past, shaping the modern discipline of history through close observation and empirical study. During the evening, Chiara Betti (Curatorial Research Assistant) and Tom Edwards (Managing Director, Abbott & Holder) will give short talks in the Library, offering expert insights into these remarkable works and their significance.

This event supports the Society’s plans to conserve and renew Burlington House as a world-class heritage resource, making it more accessible, more welcoming, and ready to inspire future generations.