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New Specimen of Cast-Metal Ornaments and Wood Types (page 1/4)

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Some engravings from William Davison’s New Specimen of Cast-Metal Ornaments and Wood Types, printed at Alnwick, Northumberland, in about 1840.

William Davison’s printing house was well-known for many years; he is also known for having corresponded with the famous engraver Thomas Bewick, and some of the engravings in the specimen book appear to be by Bewick and are marked with a B in the book.

The images do not have captions in the printed specimen book, just numbers.

Title: New Specimen of Cast-Metal Ornaments and Wood Types

Author: Davison, William

Published by: William Davison

City: Alnwick

Date: 1840

Total items: 31

Out of copyright (called public domain in the USA), hence royalty-free for all purposes usage credit requested, or as marked.

Some sample images

[picture: 166.---Two dogs in Scotland]

166.—Two dogs in Scotland

Two dogs in the Scottish highlands, with a crofter’s cottage in the background. The dogs are border collies, I think: sheepdogs. [$]

[picture: 892.---Oval Frame With Leafy Branches]

892.—Oval Frame With Leafy Branches

This oval frame has two different kinds of branch, with leaves, on either side, and a ribbon on the top. [more...] [$]

[picture: 1050.---Border with Bishops]

1050.—Border with Bishops

Ths border features a bishop with a crook, another with a TV antenna, a cross, pillars, the letters IHS, and wiggly lines. It’s all a bit crooked, but there [...] [more...] [$]

[picture: 136.---To Be Sold By Auction.]

136.—To Be Sold By Auction.

A sign saying “to be sold at auction” as if written on a heavy curtain rod, complete with pineapple finials, and with heavy fringed clothe hung over it. This woodcut or engraving might have been used as a heading over an advertisement. [more...] [$]

[picture: 1048.---Border with Evangelists]

1048.—Border with Evangelists

I think the two bearded men depicted here, each holding a pen and page, are Saint Matthew (with the angel) and Saint John (with the cross). This wood-engraving might be [...] [more...] [$]


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Places shown:

Scotland ·none

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