Rare Book:
DANIELL, Thomas (1749-1840), and William DANIELL (1769-1837)

Oriental Scenery [parts I-V] ... Hindoo Excavations in the mountain of Ellora [part VI]

London: printed for Thomas and William Daniell at the Free-School Press ... and published by William Daniell and Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, 1812-1816 [pre-publication watermarks]. 6 parts in two volumes, oblong quarto (9 3/4 x 14 inches). 6 additional pictorial aquatint titles, 144 aquatint views, 8 engraved plans. Mid-19th century full green morocco by Zaehnsdorf, covers with inlaid panelled design with corner pieces in red, brown and tan morocco, elaborately tooled in gilt, lettered in gilt on the upper covers, spines with raised bands in six compartments, red morocco lettering pieces in the second and third, the others with a repeat decoration in gilt, silk endpapers, gilt edges. Provenance: Stanley, Edward Geoffrey, 14th Earl of Derby (1799-1869, gilt arms on the upper covers); Alexander Brown Griswold (booklabel).

Scarce complete set of the first quarto edition of Daniell's masterpiece: the greatest pictorial record of India and her antiquities ever published. This copy in an extraordinary binding by Zaehnsdorf for the Earl of Derby.

"The Daniells left England in 1785, when William was only about sixteen, and they were back in England in September 1794. From an early stage Thomas seems to have set out to emulate and surpass Hodges (Select Views in India) popularizing his views through the comparatively new medium of aquatint. The uncle and nephew were determined not only to do better than Hodges but to expose the weaknesses of the pioneer's work by choosing the same views as Hodges had done, drawing them more accurately, and aquatinting them more skilfully" (Abbey Scenery II, p.377).

The plates here are reduced versions of the justly famous large folio, hand-coloured plates which the Daniells engraved from their own drawings made during their extended expedition to India (except for the plates in the sixth and final part which was issued under the title Hindoo Excavations and were based on the drawings of James Wales). The Daniells's reasons for publishing this beautifully prepared version of their masterpiece is given at the front of the first series: they note that the large folio work is "well known, not only in the British dominions, but on the Continent, where [it is] ... to be found in most of the principal libraries. This collection, however ... has acquired a magnitude that necessarily limits its possession to the few who can purchase works of such expense. To obviate this objection, and to give to materials, so generally interesting, a more extensive range of circulation, Messrs. Daniell have determined to publish a careful and accurate edition, in quarto, of the same work; on which ... they will be enabled to affix a price so moderate as to be of easy purchase ... when completed, [the set] will be comprised in three volumes, containing in the whole 150 prints." The success of this first quarto edition can be judged from the fact that it was reprinted at least twice, in various forms, and was still available from Henry Bohn in the late 1840s.

Abbey Travel II, 432 (uncoloured, early issue); M. Hardie & M. Clayton Walker's Quarterly Nos.35-36 Thomas Daniell ... William Daniell (London: 1932) p.29; G. Michell, A. Martinelli, & T. & W. Daniell India Yesterday and Today (Shrewsbury: Swan Hill Press, 1998); P. Rohatgi, G. Parlett, S. Imray & P. Godrej Indian Life and Landscape by Western Artists pp. 149-170; Sutton The Daniells Artists and Travellers 13.

This rare and beautiful set is available for sale at Donald A. Heald Rare Books :

http://bit.ly/11lnMF2