Engravings, and their Value. By J. Herbert Slater. (L. Upcott
Gill.)—The author of this valuabl 3 book starts with the statement that " the valuation of engravings, if it is to be accomplished satisfactorily, requires g -eat technical knowledge and a thorough acquaintance with the market." This remark explains the leading object of Mr. Slater's substantial book, which suggests at once a text-book and a dictionary. In two preliminary chapters he treats of " The Origin of Engraving and Various Methods of Engraving." Next, he treats of the subject—all-important where connoisseurs are concerned—of forming a collection, of the examination, the purchase, the genuineness, the cleaning, the preservation, and the prices of prints. After an explanation of technical terms, Mr. Slater proceeds, in ten chapters which will no doubt be considered the moat important in his work, to give, in alphabetical order, a list of engravers, with some of their chief works, and the auction values of each print catalogued. Of course experts will differ as to the comparative value of this engraver's work and of that, and Mr. Slater's opinions may not be univer- sally accepted. But he is obviously well-informed, and still more
obviously judicious ; and even the amateur can see that his opinions on every department of the now large subject of en- graving are worthy of the most serious consideration. As this book is essentially of the nature of a thesaurus, the index at the end might have been fuller.
Previous page
