Uncommon and very inviting landscape album of views throughout Cornwall and Devon containing 60 accomplished wood engravings by William Willis, John. W. Tucker (1808-1869), George Townsend (1813-1894), J. Newman, C. King, Richard. T. Pentreath (born 1806) and John Thomas Blight (1835-1911). Undated but based on the publication dates of some engravings the volume was originally published by Henry Besley between c.1853 -1875 who during the 1800s became the only significant Devon publisher of small steel-engraved vignette views.
The contemporary red cloth boards are on the whole in good condition, titled in gilt to the spine. Binding entirely solid. Gilt edged leaves in lovely condition. Unfortunately some water damage to the foreedge of the front board has bled through to the title page and is visible to the bottom corners of the first 13 leaves of engravings. The remaining engravings, one per leaf, each protected by a tissue guard are all in very good condition, only very occasionally age spotted.
Ownership inscription to front pastedown reads ‘William E Hoyles, Exeter, 1937’. To the rear endpapers are pasted several newspaper cuttings of local interest regarding the West Country’s links with Newfoundland and the Hoyle family’s links with the area including mention of a Sir Hugh W Hoyles
, Prime Minister of Newfoundland in 1861 (article titled City talk and hand dated June 1st 1939). Measures 26 cm x 17 cm. Engravings include in order of binding St Michael’s Mount, Mount’s Bay from Gulval Carn, Penzance from the Sea, Penzance from Lescudjack, Lamorna, Mill Bay, The Logan Rock, The Lands End and Longships, Tol Peden Penwith, Cape Cornwall near Lands End.
