Robert Walton pattern book(ca. 1670–1680)

MS 1996.17
1 vol. and 1 black and white mounted photo

A volume containing 113 engraved natural history plates published in London by Robert Walton ca. 1670–1680. The plates appear to have been rebound in an 18th-century, calf-backed volume with marbled boards. Some of them have been repaired and backed with laid paper. An armorial bookplate within the volume inscribed “Wm. Vaughan, Esq., Courtfield, Monmouthshire” indicates that it belonged to either William Vaughan (1716?–1780?), who left Britain with Charles Stuart after the Jacobite Rebellion, or to his son William (1740–1796), who succeeded him at Courtfield, the family estate in Monmouthshire.

Robert Walton probably issued the series of plates in this volume between 1675 and 1685 from his shop, the Globe and Compass, located in St. Paul’s Churchyard. Many of the plates include the notation “Printed and Sold by Robert Walton, at the Globe and Compasses, near the Great North Door of St. Paul’s Church.” A well-known London publisher and stationer, Walton was active from ca.1654–1688.

The plates within this volume appear to have been part of a book Walton listed in 1677 entitled:The whole view of creation in Eight Parts; being a Book of Beasts, Birds, Flowers, Fish, Fruits, Flyes, Insects, containing a hundred and thirty half sheets of paper neatly cut in Copper. Only seven parts are identified in this volume (see listing of parts on next page) and the parts do not occur in the volume in numeric sequence. Some of the plates do not appear to fit in with the subject matter of the title pages introducing the parts. This indicates that the plates may have been purchased as single sheets or in series and then pasted into the volume. Many of the plates have notations indicating that they could be purchased separately.

Among the natural history subjects represented are flowers, fruits, nuts, animals, birds, fish, and composite designs. Fanciful beasts and biblical motifs are also incorporated into the design of some pages. The engravings were executed by several English engravers, including John Dunstall, Robert Gaywood, John Chantrey, and William Vaughan. Many of the motifs used by these engravers echo those used by Jacobus Hoefnagel and Crispin van de Passe.

Pattern books provided a pictorial treasury for creating needlework and metalwork designs, drawings, prints, and paintings. They may have also been used to teach children about the natural world. One of the plates within this volume is inscribed with a notation indicating its intended use for needlework projects: “Printed and cullored and sould with all other sorts of stories and fancies for Gentlewomen’s worke.” The fact that this book has been rebound and its plates carefully repaired and supported with laid paper indicates that it remained a valuable design and instruction tool well into the 18th century.

For additional information on the publishing activities of Robert Walton, see English Publishers in the Graphic Arts, 1599–1700 by Leona Rostenberg. Brief biographical information about the engravers can be found in E. Benezit’s Dictionnaire des Peintres, Sculpteurs, Dessinateurs, et Graveurs.

The seven parts noted on the plates in this volume include:

A Booke of All Kinds of Beasts, in their severall Shapes, Postures, and Proportions, being the third Part of the View of the Creation.
The second part of ye view of ye Creation, being a Book of More Beast, Bird, Flowers, &c.
A Book of the severall shapes of all sorts of Birds exactly Drawen and curiously engraven being Ye 4th part of ye View of ye Creation.
A Booke of Divers Figures and Shapes of all maner of Flies, Beetles, Snailes, Wormes, and Serpents, taken from Things formerly Drawne to ye life in Coullers, and now Exquisetly done in Coper, Being ye last part of ye View of ye Creation.
A Booke of ye severall sorts and kinds of fish in their true Figures, Formes, and Shapes exactly drawn and neatly ingrave, being ye 6th Part of ye view of ye Creation.
The Pleasant Garden or a Booke of severall sorts and sizes of most rare, sweet, delightfull Flowers and Slips exactly Drawn and excellently engraven being ye 5th part of the View of the Creation.
The delightful Orchard, or a Book of most Pleasant and Desirable Fruits: being Ye 7th Part of ye View of the Creation.