[A group of three documents concerning a joint business venture 'heretofore carried on in the engraving and sale of 'Views in Scotland and in Calcutta']

1803. A fascinating and rare glimpse into the private financial workings of the London print trade at the turn of the 19th century.

[Comprising:] 1. Robert COLQUHOUN. An autograph document, signed twice by Jukes, Colquhoun, Steuart and Anderson, dated in the text 4 June 1803, in quasi-legal language, recording the meeting and the financial agreements reached between the four members of the consortium assembled to print and market the 'Views of Scotland and Calcutta', 3pp. of a bifolium, quarto, with a short memorandum of the contents on the fourth page (old folds). 2. Robert COLQUHOUN. An autograph note, 4 June 1803, with rough workings of (truncated) the financial matters agreed at the meeting (see above), 4pp., small quarto. 3. Francis JUKES. - Autograph document, signed by Jukes (twice), Colquhoun, Steuart and Anderson, 4 June 1803, a financial statement headed 'Division of the Print concern between Mr. P. Colquhoun… [etc.], determined 4th. June 1803', with added notes by Colquhoun, 2pp. of a bifolium, tall thin folio, with a short memorandum by Colquhoun signed by Jukes on verso. These three documents appear to mark the final allocation of the assets of the consortium set up to print and market a number of topographical views. The documents make general mention of 'Views in Scotland and Calcutta', but it appears that the Calcutta views had already been dealt with as the documents only go into financial details about '27 Views of Different parts of Scotland by Farrington & Catton'. It is not possible to be certain which views are referred to but Charles Catton, senior (1728-1798) and Charles Catton, junior (1756-1819) are responsible for a number of Scottish views, including a series of four views of the border country that were engraved and first published by Jukes in March 1793. Joseph Farrington (1747-1821), now best known for his diary, was also a topographical draughtsman of note: his best known work in this regard is probably his views of the Lake District (published in 1789). He was also responsible for a number of Scottish watercolours that were commissioned by Jukes and his consortium. The consortium were made up from a very disparate group: Colquhoun, a speculator in land in America, best known for his pioneering work on the London police force; James Steuart of the Calcutta coachmakers, Steuart & Company (established in 1783), Jukes an engraver and publisher of London, and Robert Anderson, about whom little is known. (Inventory #: 19420)