A set of six hand-colored engravings of various primates, published by John Wilkes (d. 1811), London, 1795-1796

Copperplate engravings, taken from Ebenezer Sibly's An Universal System of Natural History, Including the Natural History of Man (originally published 1794), each depicting the following: “The Tamarin or Great-eared Monkey,” engraved by John Pass after a drawing by George Edwards; published June 1st, 1796; “The Ouistiti or Striated Monkey,” engraved by John Pass after a drawing by George Edwards, published August 1st, 1796; “The Mangabey,” engraved by John Pass after a drawing by Johann Jakob Ihle, published December 1st, 1795; “The Marikina or Silky Monkey,” engraved by John Pass after a drawing by Johann Jakob Ihle, published June 1st, 1796, “The Mandrill,” engraved by John Pass after a drawing by Johann Jakob Ihle, published July 15th, 1795; and “The Dog-faced Baboon,” engraved by John Pass after a drawing by Johann Jakob Ihle, published October 15th, 1795; all professionally matted and framed.

7 1/8 in. x 4 5/8 in. (sight), 18 in. x 14 ½ in. (frame)

Provenance

Property from a Newport, Rhode Island estate.

lot 69: not examined out of frames; each professionally mounted, matted, and framed; overall with mild toning and minor occasional spots of foxing, but in general clean and retaining bright color; a few showing evidence of former mounts at the top left and right corners (blocks of lighter hue); Marikina: with minor crease to lower right corner; Tamarin: evidence of former adhesive / residue along left-facing side; Ouistiti: with small tear along lower edge; the frames showing some minor spots of oxidation, particularly to top surface