Beschreibung:

ARTHUR WELLESLEY, DUKE OF WELLINGTON (1769-1821) A collection of books on the life and times of Wellington including: Obsequies of his Grace the late Illustrious Field Marshal, The Duke of Wellington KG KCB &c. &c., 18 November 1852 . London, [n.d.]. (549 x 378mm). Lithographic title-page, portrait and 4 plates titled 'The Lying in State at Chelsea Hospital'; 'Passing Apsley House'; 'Passing Trafalgar Square'; and 'Arrival at St Paul's' (some light spotting and staining, newspaper cuttings pasted-down on reverse of plates). Contemporary cloth boards, gilt letting on spine (rather worn, pasted-down newspaper cuttings on inner boards and endpapers). After a rapid decline in health towards the end of 1852, Wellington suffered a fit during the night and died on 14 September. His body was taken from Walmer Castle and lay in state at the Chelsea Hospital until the 17 November. Illustrated in its various stages by these tinted lithographic plates, his funeral on 18 November was of unprecedented magnitude with his remains processed from Horse Guards past a crowd of mourners estimated at a million and a half strong, past Constitution Hill, down Piccadilly and the Strand, to St Paul's in a huge funeral carriage weighing over 18 tons and now on display at Stratfield Saye House; together with c.80 other works on the Great Duke including: John Booth's The Battle of Waterloo (London: Printed for John Booth, T. Egerton & J. Fairburn, 1816, containing 2 hand-coloured folding plates forming a 360° panorama of the battlefield and 2 hand-coloured folding plans, uncut copy); Lieutenant G. W. Picton's The Battle of Waterloo (London: R. Edwards, [c.1816], in contemporary calf); and Supplementary Despatches and Memoranda of Field Marshal Arthur Duke of Wellington, KG, edited by his son (London; John Murray 1859, 4 volumes) and two cut signatures of Wellington. (81)