WHYTE'S IRISH & INTERNATIONAL ART 26 FEBRUARY 2018

120 AN IMPORTANT SCRAPBOOK OF ART AND MUSIC Provenance: Abigail Cohen, who marriedWilliam John Whyte* of Marleybone, 1844; Thence by descent through the Whyte family; Private collection, West of Scotland * William John Whyte is thought to be the grandson of Samuel Whyte, founder of the celebratedWhyte’s Academy, Grafton Street, now home to Bewley’s café. This lot comprises three separate scrapbooks/albums: The first compiled in the 1830s by a young Jewish woman, Abigail Cohen - who lived in London - and two later albums from c.1902 from her extended family including an Olive Anchoretta Whyte. The scrapbook includes watercolours, pencil drawings, sketches, poems and literary pieces and musical autographs within, and laid in. There are approximately 60 entries to Abigail’s scrapbook and a further 20 to the later collection. Abigail Cohen was born in 1811, into a wealthy Jewish family at Leman Street, Goodmans Fields, London to Judah and Grace Cohen. Judah (1768-1838) was a slave trader, of the West India Merchants, and operated from H&J Cohen, 58 Mansell Street in London. At one point Abigail is thought to have lived at Nottingham Place, Marylebone. The Irish Connection (Fig. I) Among the album are several interesting entries from Irish personalities, including Daniel O’Connell (1775- 1847) whose contribution comprises the second verse of Let Erin Remember the Days of Old from Thomas Moore’s Irish Melodies. (Fig. II) Included is a musical autograph, titled Romanza, by Irish composer Michael William Balfe (1808-1870) best- remembered for his opera The Bohemian Girl. (Fig. III) Samuel Lover (1797-1868) Irish songwriter, composer, novelist, and a painter of portraits, chiefly miniatures is included with an interesting and hasty entry to “My Dear Miss Cohen” dated “London, August 1841”. A lengthy inclusion by William Bayle Bernard - author of The Life of Samuel Lover (1874) - is dated “London, July 1836” (Fig. IV) An untitled musical autograph by Irish composer and pianist George Alexander Osborne (1806-1893) is captioned “my last eight minutes (?) in London” and is undated. He was a supporter of Frédéric François Chopin (1810-1849) during his tour of England in 1848. Richard Robert Madden (1798-1886) Irish doctor, writer and abolitionist, Dedication and autograph. (Fig. V) In the Vale of Avoca watercolour laid on card with blind stamp of Turnbulls Superfine Board, London. (5.5 by 3.75in) Artworks John Martin was a painter, engraver and illustrator and was one of the most popular painters of his day known for his melodramatic paintings of religious subjects and fantastic compositions. He had six children who survived to adulthood and whose work is inlcuded in this album. (Fig. VI) John Martin , Flight into Egypt dated 1834, Sepia wash (5.75 by 8.25in) Alfred Martin , Landscape with Classical Buildings and Mountains in the Distance dated 1834, sepia wash (7.75 by 5.25in) Zenobia (Zoe) Martin , View of a Castle with Two figures in the Foreground ink and watercolour (3.25 by 4.5in) & Portrait of a Lady Reading, July 1836, pencil (5 by 4.25in) Two contributions by Zenobia’s husband Peter Cunningham, are also included, one a lengthy, rhyming, three verse poem dedicated to Abigail. (Fig. VII) C. John MayleWhichelo (1784-1865) , The Bay of Naples, 1830, watercolour (4.25 by 5.5in) (Fig. VIII) After William Charles Ross , Portrait of HRH Prince Albert, pencil (8 by 6in) (Fig. IX) Style of Joseph MallordWilliamTurner (1775-1851) Rüdesheim, sepia wash over pencil heightened with white with location inscribed at base right of centre Other contributors include: Théodore François Joseph Labarre (1805-1870) French harpist and composer. Barnard van Oven (1796-1860) English physician and communal worker. He practised in London and had an extensive clientele among the Jewish community. John Lucas Tupper (c.1824-1879) . Early member of the Pre- Raphaelite circle. Two pencil drawings. (Fig. X) Pierre Paul Emmanuel De Pommayrac (1806-1880) . Puerto Rico born French artist. Watercolour of French woman. Sir Michael Andrew Angus Costa (1808-1884) Italian- born conductor and composer who achieved success in England. Musical autograph score. The later albums contain approximately 20 entries including: an ink drawing by H.W. Armstead dated June 1902 illustrating tribal figures dancing in celebration on 31 May 1902, the day The Treaty of Vereeniging was signed, (fig. XI), an equestrian watercolour by E Bartlett dated 1902 and a copy in ink of a cartoon. Both also include various text entries and newspaper cuttings. A much more detailed note on this fascinating collection may be found in the on-line catalogue at www.whytes.ie €15,000-€20,000 (£10,710-£14,290 approx.) Click Here for Large Images & To Bid Lot 120