Lot 1050 , Owen, Rev. William - Sketches of Lago Maggiore and Pallanza. tinted lithographed pictorial and printed titles, an Extra Illustrated copy, with 17 fine watercolour sketches (unsigned) bound in throughout and 7 decorative

° Owen, Rev. William - Sketches of Lago Maggiore and Pallanza. tinted lithographed pictorial and printed titles, an Extra Illustrated copy, with 17 fine watercolour sketches (unsigned) bound in throughout and 7 decorative coloured marginal illus; contemp. black blind-ruled calf, gilt titled on upper cover and plain panelled spine, ge. marbled e/ps., sm. cr. 8vo. (privately published) , Bickers & Son, 1879. * the author was English Chaplain at Pallanza, and apparently gave this copy to Mary Jane Morgan (a close friend, and the vendor's great grandmother) who was holidaying at this much favoured location when the book was published. At the same time Queen Victoria herself was staying at near by Villa Clara, Bareno with sketching as one of her holiday pursuits. She had met Owen Williams, and was presented with a vellum bound copy of the book (not immediately traceable in the Royal library at Windsor). Accompanying our copy are two notes written by Sir Henry Ponsonby, the Queen's private secretary, one reading (undated) "... has received the commands of Her Majesty the Queen to thank the Revd. W Owen for the volume which he has forwarded..."; the second, with another relevant message, is headed Villa Clara, April 22 1879. With the author unknown as an artist, and the book having no marks of ownership or other inscription, together with its very "workaday" binding, it is a somewhat intriguing story; perhaps further research may throw some light...(?)
£600-800

Condition:
sl. wear at corners, some light intermittent spotting; the plts. have ms. captions. 112pp and advert leaf at end (the author solicits for pupils, or students of divinity, addressed from Grand Hotel Pallanza); loosly inserted is a printed pictorial (?) upper wrapper. The plts are trimmed to size - 16 x 9.5 cm. approx.