| | Thumbnail | | Creator | Date | Title / Author / Date / Location | Price | | | Description |
| 889 |  | Details | Clark, John Heaviside | 1813 |
| Antique aquatint of Killing a Shark |
|
Clark, John Heaviside |
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| 1813 |
| LOC:1 |
| $95.00 | Clark--John-Heaviside | Antique-aquatint-of-Killing-a-Shark | First edition of this scarce hand-colored aquatint by <b>John Heaviside Clark</b> (1771-1836) in "Foreign Field Sports, Fisheries, Sporting Anecdotes…". In this fine engraved print from 1813 a small boat, overloaded with ship's crew pull a sailor to safety while another sailor prepares to drive a lance through the head of the shark.
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A short shark-catching anecdote describes the physiology and habits of the shark and then devotes most emphasis to the shark's terrifying appearance and ferocity, concluding with this story:
<div class="indenttextblock"> "The late Sir Brook Watson was, as is well known, rescued from the jaws of death at the very moment when they were extended to devour him. His situation was precisely similar to that of the young seaman represented in the Plate. While bathing, when a young man, he was pursued by a Shark; and his imminent danger being perceived by the ships company, a boat was immediately put off: before it arrived, however the Shark had snapped at its unfortunate victim, and carried off a leg and a part of the thigh. It was in the act of making a second seizure when a sailor struck it with a boat-hook, and drove it from the pursuit.
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Published by Edward Orme from Bond Street London, on March 1, 1813. On paper bearing a watermark of 1811. |
| 890 |  | Details | Clark, John Heaviside | 1813 |
| Antique aquatint of Turtle Catching on Land |
|
Clark, John Heaviside |
|
| 1813 |
| LOC:1 |
| $145.00 | Clark--John-Heaviside | Antique-aquatint-of-Turtle-Catching-on-Land | First edition of this scarce hand-colored aquatint from 1813 by <b>John Heaviside Clark</b> (1771-1836) in "Foreign Field Sports, Fisheries, Sporting Anecdotes…". In this fine engraved print a ship's crew loads large <b>sea turtles</b> aboard a small boat in order to bring them to their waiting ship. On long voyages fresh meat could run out aboard ship so these turtles would have provided a valuable source of nourishment. In addition, the turtles could be kept alive until needed, solving the problem of maintaining a fresh supply of food in an era without refrigeration.
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In an anecdote accompanying the plate, the author explains how the turtles are caught:
<div class="indenttextblock"> "The turtle catchers, from the month of September to January, repair to those parts of the coast which the turtles mostly frequent, and watch them on shore, where they deposit their eggs in the night-time. The usual way is, to turn them quickly on their backs, not giving them time to defend themselves, by throwing up sand with their fins; which they can do with such force as sometimes to blind their assailants. … When the turtles find it impossible to escape, they utter a sort of sigh and are said to shed tears."
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Published by Edward Orme from Bond Street London, on July 1, 1813. A very similar plate to this one, purchased at the same time bears a watermark of 1811. |