Tapographia: Or A Collection of Tombs of Royal and Distinguished Families, Collected During a Tour of Europe in the Years 1854 and 1855
[Cheltenham]: Lithographed and Printed by the Author, 1856.
ONE OF ONLY 12 COPIES PRINTED.
An unusual privately printed illustrated record of the burial monuments of Europe's royal and distinguished families, produced by Frederick Hartland following his travels through Europe in 1854 and 1855. The work brings together detailed lithographic representations of monumental tombs, effigies, heraldic devices, inscriptions, and the architectural settings in which these memorials were found.
Its appeal extends beyond genealogy to the history of European royalty, funerary sculpture, heraldry, ecclesiastical architecture, and nineteenth-century antiquarian travel. The illustrations preserve a visual record of monuments and burial arrangements, while the accompanying index identifies the individuals represented and provides references to their locations in the volume.
A PARTICULARLY INTERESTING FEATURE IS THE AUTHOR'S DEDICATION. Hartland dedicates the book to his father, Nathaniel Hartland Esquire of The Oaklands, explaining that the tombs represented in the volume were visited and collected at his father's expense. He describes the dedication as a mark of love and esteem from an affectionate son. This personal statement establishes the family circumstances behind the project.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
+++ Contemporary three-quarter red leather binding with gilt lettering and decorative rules to the covers. The front board bears the title 'Hartland's Tapographia' in gilt. Large folio format, approximately 15 × 11 inches. First and only edition, folio (approximately 15 × 11 inches), [4], 86 leaves, chiefly lithographic illustrations.
+++ Title page, dedication leaf, index, and 86 leaves of lithographic illustrations. The illustrations are printed throughout and include individual monuments, sculptural effigies, architectural details, heraldic devices, inscriptions, and plans of burial locations within churches and cathedrals.
CONDITION: Generally sound copy in its contemporary binding. The red leather is rubbed, with noticeable wear and losses to the leather at the corners and extremities. The binding remains generally sound.
Preliminary leaves show foxing, most noticeable around the title and dedication. The lithographic illustrations, printed on heavier, higher-quality paper, are substantially cleaner, without the foxing affecting the preliminaries and with only slight age-toning.
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: DOCUMENTING EUROPE'S ROYAL DYNASTIES.
Frederick Hartland undertook this work as a visual record of the funerary monuments of Europe's royal and distinguished families. The volume brings together detailed representations of monumental sculpture, heraldic devices, inscriptions, and architectural settings, preserving a record of the memorial traditions of several European ruling houses.
The scope extends beyond individual tombs. Hartland records the monuments within their architectural settings, including cathedral interiors, burial chapels, and plans locating individual memorials. An alphabetical index identifies the individuals represented and provides references to their illustrations, making the volume useful for research in royal history, genealogy, heraldry, and funerary art.
Among the identifiable subjects are Charlemagne at Aix-la-Chapelle, Pope Benedict XII at Avignon Cathedral, monuments in Basel Cathedral, royal memorials at Berlin Cathedral, and the Danish royal burial tradition at Roskilde Cathedral.
A PRIVATE ANTIQUARIAN UNDERTAKING.
The book is also a notable example of nineteenth-century private lithographic production. Hartland researched and collected the material during his European travels, then lithographed and printed the work himself. Issued in an edition of only twelve copies, it represents a substantial personal undertaking combining travel, antiquarian research, architectural observation, and illustrated documentation.
AN EDITION OF TWELVE COPIES.
The edition's exceptionally small size is documented by the author himself. A surviving copy presented by Frederick Hartland to the distinguished bibliophile Sir Thomas Phillipps bears Hartland's signed statement that only twelve copies of the work were printed. OCLC/WorldCat currently records five institutional holdings, leaving no more than seven copies outside those recorded collections. The present copy is among that small number. The whereabouts and present ownership of the remaining copies have not been established.
GENRES: Antiquarian Books, Illustrated Books, Travel Literature, Genealogy, Heraldry, Architectural History, Lithography, Private Press
SUBJECTS: European Royalty, Royal Genealogy, Royal Tombs, Funerary Monuments, Monumental Sculpture, Heraldry, European Dynasties, Cathedral Architecture, Burial Traditions, Ecclesiastical Architecture, Lithography, European Travel, Nineteenth-Century Antiquarianism
Bibliographical Reference: Bagshane's History of Shropshite; Bonhams 2013 auction catalogue — page 28, lot 3071.
Item #22632
Price: $975.00
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