Hodges, W.P., and Henry Alken | Tally-ho!

Property from the Library of John M. Schiff

Hodges, W.P., and Henry Alken  

[The Beaufort Hunt]. A Series of Eight Plates of Fox Hunting from the Original Drawings by W.P. Hodges... Engraved by Henry Alken. London: Thomas McLean, 1 July 1833 [watermarked J. Whatman Turkey Mill 1823-1833]

Together 9 aquatints (593 x 415 mm). Lithographic title printed on pink paper with large vignette of a fox, 8 hand-colored aquatints, each captioned "Proof Impression," together with a ninth supplementary hand-colored aquatint plate entitled "Consequences," all mounted on card and matted (overall size 681 x 500 mm); lacking dedication leaf, relatively minor spotting, a few instances of minor soiling, a few short closed marginal tears, ninth supplementary plate apparently trimmed without affecting plate. Modern red half morocco and red cloth folding case.

The complete set of this striking series.

Published as a set of eight prints in 1833, with the ninth (present here) issued a year later, the "Beaufort Hunt" represents a collaboration between Alken as a professional artist, and Hodges as a Dorset amateur. Almost since the moment of publication, this series has been regarded as one of the period's finest sets of fox-hunting prints. 

REFERENCE:

Schwerdt I, 244; Tooley 265