SPECIALISTS IN 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY BRITISH WORKS ON PAPER
First Edition/Standard Edition (SE)
We refer to SE lithographs as First Edition lithographs on our website but both refer to the same print. The SE lithograph was produced from the same stone as the RSE set but used thicker paper. There are always pin marks in the corners of the image of each full plate SE lithograph and also pin marks in the top left-hand and right-hand corners for the half plates (Fig. 1). These were used by Haghe to keep the lithographs in place whilst printing. Similarly to the RSE, the SE full plate lithographs measure roughly 13" x 20" and half plate lithographs 10" x 13". F.G. Moon’s publisher mark is printed beneath every SE lithograph in the centre below the illustration and this is always in black (Fig. 2). The date included here is when the print was made and not when Roberts drew the original watercolour. In many lithographs there is a facsimile including Roberts’ original inscriptions which often include the date. The title of the lithograph then appears below this in block capital letters and in the colour of one of the tintstones used by Haghe in the printing process (Fig. 3). It sometimes is in orange or brown but never in black. Half plates for the SE always include text relating to the work below the print. Full plates include text on the back of the previous half plate.
Fig.1. Pin hole in lower left hand corner for SE lithograph of Cairo from the Gate of Citzenib. Note the facsimile signatures by Roberts and Haghe.
Fig. 2. Publisher inscription by F.G. Moon that is below every illustration in the SE set. This one is from Remains of a Triumphal Arch at Petra and was released on Oct 1st 1842.
Fig. 3. Example of the title of the lithograph being printed in block capitals below the illustration in the centre. This is printed on every SE Full Plate and is in a couple of different tints. This example of Tiberias is in an orange.
SE lithographs were not originally hand-coloured to help make them more affordable. However, they used a multiple ink tinting system which gave colour to them. The Holy Land lithographs used a simple colouring system which highlighted cream or fawn tints (Fig. 4). The later Egypt and Nubia folio had a more complex system that included tints of blues, oranges and purples (Fig. 5). This helps to give the appearance of hand-colouring. Many SE lithographs have been hand-coloured at a later date in accordance with the colour schemes used for the RSE lithographs. We have a selection of original tinted SE lithographs and later hand-coloured SE lithographs for sale on our website.
Fig. 4. Detail from the Tomb of Aaron SE lithograph. This is in its original state with the white tints from the stone obvious on the clothes. No SE lithograph had original hand-colouring.
Fig. 5. Detail from the SE print of View looking towards the Pyramids of Dashdour & Saccara. Note the greater tints available in this lithograph compared to the earlier ones from the Holy Land. Here, browns, oranges and blues are obvious.
