The auction catalogue for the Towneley Collection of Hollar’s prints. The catalogue is organised “…as expressed in Vertue’s catalogue [of Hollar’s works, 2nd ed. 1759] Besides many other additional prints, not noticed by him; and abounding throughout in Valuable Proofs and Curious Variations”.

The auction contained 527 lots, which realised a total of £2,102. 10s 6d. It was widely reported at the time that the executors, in order to prevent a public sale, had offered the collection for less than half that sum. A good proportion of the lots were acquired by the dealer John Simco on behalf of the Royal Collection.

Scarce. World cat cites only five examples in institutional holdings (BL, Bodleian, Huntington, Trinity College Connecticut, and University of Toronto). To this we are able to add an example sold at auction in 2013 (not this copy).