“Shanghae Flowers” (painted 1845 – 1847)

A$35,000 · Offered by Douglas Stewart Fine Books

Album, 295 x 240 x 75 mm, thick embossed morocco bound boards, brass clasp, small bookseller s label from Kensington, London to pastedown, later family inscriptions to endpaper, calligraphic title leaf in red and blue, heightened in gold Shanghae Flowers. Presented to James White by his wife on his Birthday April X 1868 , two page manuscript contents list, 49 exquisite original watercolours of flowers from Shanghai, China, each contained in passepartout mounts and easily removed, many with contemporary inscriptions dates between 1845 1847, the mounts each with manuscript titles dating from 1868, lacking watercolour number 11, removed prior to 2006, light browning to the mounts, the watercolours all in exquisite, fresh and bright condition. James White (1809 or 1810 1883) was a London merchant and politician active in China in the mid nineteenth century. Some sources state he was born 10 April 1809 in Hackney, Middlesex, England, however the 1871 and 1881 Censuses for England and Wales each state he was born in 1810. He married Mary Lind on 27 February 1833, their son, Alfred Cromwell White, is listed in the 1849 Census as being aged 12, and Scholar, Shanghai, China . In 1857 James White was elected as the Liberal MP for Plymouth, which he held for two years, and was Member of Parliament for Brighton from 1860 until 1874. He passed away on 9 January 1883 at his home at 8 Thurloe Square, South Kensington. This exquisite album of original watercolours was presented to James Whit

• Binding: Hardcover

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