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KELSICK WOOD : 1828 - 1835 SUPERB, ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT JOURNALS [3] AND RELICS OF GEORGIAN ERA ART, SHIP BUILDING AND MARINE COMMERCE DELIGHTFULLY ILLUSTRATED BY A MASTER DESIGNER OF FIGUREHEADS AND SHIPS

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is an unparalleled trio [3] of manuscript notebooks and late Georgian Era relics of British maritime commerce and nautical art history, hand written and drawn by Kelsick Wood, a Maryport England ship builder, figurehead designer and chandler whose significant journals detail the 'behind the scenes' aspects of shipbuilding and ship rigging and supplying all manner of ships' stores and repairs in the early part of the 19th Century. The journals are filled with quotes for work on a variety of vessels [including Mary Jones, Sloop Mary, Postlethwaite, Eliza Heywood, Sylla, Snow Magnet, James Ray, Sterling, Widows Friend, Wilton Wood, Coeur de Lion and many, many more], costs of materials including teak and oak, orders for anchors, ropes, rigging, sails and accounts etc. But what makes this trio of extraordinary historical manuscripts ascend the category of true rarity are the many dozens and dozens of superb illustrations; portraits, group scenes, figureheads, ships, animals, mythical creatures and exotic African princesses and 'Britannia' herself and so much more littered throughout most relating to a particular ship, some drawn in situ, we surmise for use at a later date. Some of these drawings which include two loose black and white sketches one in pen and ink another in pencil range from character studies to coats of arms portraits and several figurehead designs. The skill of the artist is nothing short of remarkable. His portraits bring to life the clients and characters he deals with or records for future reference and given his limited palette he does a superb job. The books: 'No 2' as titled on the cover a notebook used by Kelsick Wood a provincial Ship builder from Maryport from c1828 onwards detailing many aspects of his work. Included are a variety of small sketches/ illustrations. 'No 3' [titled on the cover] on manuscript pagination as follows 28 pages prelims including a thumb index alphabetically and approximately 122 pages most paginated once for each pair of facing pages - one or two pages trimmed leaving only the top halves of the pages - one portrait neatly cut out. 135mm x 188mm. 'No 4' [title on the cover] dated in the front in manuscript K Wood and Sons October 1833 with a small sketch of the vessel Wilton Wood, contains a similar mixture of day to day accounts and a variety of sketches - in both note books it is not clear whether these sketches were intended designs actually commissioned or whether these were just ideas or even a sketch of the actual figureheads of vessels the ship builder worked on. 26 pages prelims with a thumb index alphabetically and 136 pages. 135mm x 188mm. The pair contain approximately 144 pages with at least a single sketch - others have groups of sketches some others are full page, ten designs for figureheads but many other sketches of other aspects of details of proposed work including several partial details of various vessels sterns. EDITOR'S NOTE: We note that The Royal Museums at Greenwich have a private account book which belonged to Kelsick Wood for the period 1839-40 recording similar details to the above - details of Ships built and the purchase of materials etc.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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