Horace Knight, an original entomological painting in an autograph book

1901, also filled with charming drawings and quotations

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

An early twentieth century autograph book, bound in padded leather, measuring 16.5 × 19.5cm, c60 pages.

It belonged to a schoolgirl called Jessie who attended The Home and Colonial School in London, and she has asked her friends and visitors to sign it. Entries range from about 1900 to the end of the Great War, with most being around the 1904 mark.

Of chief interest is an original, wonderfully detailed entomological colour painting by Horace Knight (b. 1856), a well-known entomological artist perhaps best known for his illustrations for Richard South's The Moths of the British Isles (1907–1921). This shows a butterfly with yellow and green wings, and is signed in the corner of the page by Horace Knight and dated 1901.

The majority of pages are filled, the rest being very competent watercolour, calligraphy, and handwritten literary quotations. There is also a class seating plan where all the girls have written their name and where they are from in tiny writing.

Condition

The spine is cracked and open at the front joint, and there is light foxing to some of the pages (mostly where something has been laid in). Knight's drawing has some foxing to the page due to a paper cross that has been stuck in to the other side of the page. However, this remains a charming autograph book.

Further images available on request.

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