Reference books of George Baxter Prints, his Licensees and Colour Printing
Here is my ‘database’ of reference works about George Baxter, his licensees and 19th century colour printing in general. Most of these books are predominantly about Baxter or Baxter prints etc. I have not included books about general collecting that might mention Baxter or one off articles in magazines etc. I have included some sales or exhibition catalogues if they are particularly informative or useful, this is especially true of some of the very early examples which may give details of print variations, unique and original items.
Can you assist and suggest any additions?
I will write brief reviews on these, as and when, in which case the entries will be highlighted and linked to images and further information.
1893 – Catalogue of a Collection of George Baxter Oil Prints (with notes) formed by Frederick Mockler 1893
1894 – George Baxter’s Life and Works – Frederick Mockler - A large portfolio of reprints from Baxter’s plates and contained three lists - Alphabetical List of George Baxter’s Prints - Books Published with George Baxter’s Prints – Catalogue of Prints by George Baxter, most probably based on his 1893 catalogue
1895 – Descriptive Catalogue and Price list of George Baxter’s Celebrated Oil Prints - Frederick Mockler - Sept 1895
1895 - Journal of the Baxter Society – 3 issues only Sept / Oct / and Nov-Dec
1895 – Catalogue of Baxter Exhibition – Birmingham 16th – 21st December – 95% of the Exhibits were from Frederick Mockler
1896 – An Extensive Catalogue of George Baxter’s Oil Prints for sale by Charles F Bullock
1901 - Life of George Baxter - Charles F Bullock
1905 - Life of George Baxter – Charles F Bullock – the more commonly found reprint
1906 - English colour books – Martin Hardie – reprinted in 1990
1908 - George Baxter his Life and Works – CT Courtney Lewis – the first ‘complete’ listing and the first to use the ‘CL’ number system
1909 - George Baxter: his work and method – F Colebrook
1910 - Colour printing and Colour Printers – R M Burch – “the colour plates in this edition were reproduced by the various processes described in the text” – reprinted in 1983
1911 – The Picture Printer of the Nineteenth Century George Baxter - CT Courtney Lewis
1912 - Baxter Year Book 1912 – CT Courtney Lewis
1913 – Collectors Lists – Only a 10 page article by Allred Docker but does can some interest information regarding scarcity of certain prints
1919 - Baxter Colour Prints – H Geo Clarke
1919 - Baxter Year Book 1919 – CT Courtney Lewis
1920 / 21 - Pictures of George Baxter Pictorially Presented – H G Clarke– originally issued as 12 monthly parts from Nov 1920 to Dec 1921 but more commonly seen as one bound volume
1920 - The Le Blond Book – CT Courtney Lewis
1921 - Baxter Society Quarterly Journal Exhibition Catalogue - Birmingham March 1921
1921 - 1938 - Baxter Society Quarterly Journal, or later in its production run, Baxter Society Members Journal although it did revert back to Quarterly Journal on a couple of occasions perhaps when they felt there was enough information to fill four issues per year. It ran throughout at least 17 Volumes and the last one I have is Volume 17 No 6 for August 1938. If there were any more editions I feel they would have stopped the following year with the outbreak of WW2 in Sept 1939
1922 - Baxter Society Quarterly Journal Exhibition Catalogue - June 1922
1922 - Baxter Values 1922 – Ernest Etheridge
1923 - Baxter Values 1923 – Ernest Etheridge
1923 - Baxter Society Quarterly Journal Exhibition Catalogue - August 1923
1923 - 1925 - Baxter Times – The Baxter Times ran monthly through June 1923 until Nov 1925 when it merged and slightly widen its scope as BP Collector and Baxter Times, see 1925-27 below
1924 - Baxter Values 1924 – Ernest Etheridge
1924 - George Baxter - The Picture Printer - CT Courtney Lewis
1924 - The Baxter Price List 1924 - CT Courtney Lewis - published in tandem with The Picture printer
1924 - Colour Prints of William Dickes – Alfred Docker – limited to 350 numbered copies
1925 - Baxter Society Quarterly Journal Exhibition Catalogue – February 1925
1925 - 1927 - BP Collector and Baxter Times – previously the Baxter times, see 1923-25 above – this ran monthly from Dec 1925 until Jan 1927 (the last copy I have seen), possibly July 1927
1926 - Baxter & Le Blond Auction Records 1926 - Speake
1926 - Baxter Values 1925/6 – by Ernest Etheridge
1928 - The Story of Picture Printing in England – by CT Courtney Lewis
1929 – Baxter Prints - A Concise Guide to their Collection – Ernest Etheridge
1930 - Baxter Prints & Prices, a reliable guide for collectors – Alfred Docker – was there an earlier edition as quoted by some as 1929?
1932 - Baxter Print Auction Prices – J H Rylatt
1933 - Baxter Print Auction Prices - J H Rylatt
1934 - Baxter Print Auction Prices - J H Rylatt
1935 - Baxter Print Auction Prices - J H Rylatt
1936 - Baxter Print Auction Prices - J H Rylatt
1936 - The Centenary Baxter Book – H G Clarke & J H Rylatt – published by The National Picture Print Society and limited to 125 copies
1939 - The History of Bradshaw (and Blacklock) – A centenary review of the origin and growth of the most famous guide in the world – Graham Royde-Smith
1949 - The House of Harrild 1801 – 1948 – Edward Liveing
1949 - Early Colour printing and George Baxter - James Cordingly of North Western Polytechnic London included possibly the latest known prints produced by Baxter’s method
1962 - Victorian Book Design and Colour Printing - Ruari McLean – reprinted in 1972
1969 - Reminiscences of Edmund Evans – Edited by Ruari McLean
1972 - George Baxter his Life and Works – C T Courtney Lewis – a reprint of the 1908 edition with a forward by his daughter Helen Courtney Lewis
1972 - Victorian Book Design and Colour Printing - Ruari McLean – reprint of the 1962 edition
1974 - Price guide to Baxter Prints – Abe Ball and Michael Martin – reprinted in 1983 - annual free ‘price updates’ issued at least Aug 1975 to Aug 1979, April 1984 (after the release of the next edition?) April 1986 - 1994
1975 - A Guide to Nineteenth Century Colour Printers – Geoffrey Wakeman & Gavin D R Bridson
1978 - George Baxter and the Baxter Prints - Max E Mitzman
1978 – Colour Printing in England 1846 – 1870 – Joan M Friedman (Yale Centre for British Art)
1981 – Victorian Colour Printing - Geoffrey Wakeman included actual printed examples
1983 - Colour printing and Colour Printers – R M Burch – reprint of the 1910 edition
1983 - Price guide to Baxter Prints – Abe Ball and Michael Martin – reprint from 1974 edition - annual free ‘price updates’ issued at least Aug 1975 to Aug 1979, April 1984 (after the release of the next edition?) April 1986 – 1994
1987 – Christie’s ‘The New Hall Vault’ auction sale catalogue – I have included it here as it is an excellent pictorial record of 34 (in fact 33) sheets of prints by J M Kronheim & Co in the well published sale.
1990 - English colour books – Martin Hardie – reprint of the 1906 book
1993 - Waddleton Chronology: Books with Coloured Printed Illustrations or Decorations 15th to 20th Century – Norman Waddleton, 1993 is the 5th extended edition
1994 - Abraham Le Blond Colour Printer 1819 - 1894 - Phyllis Lycett and Michael Martin
1997 - Pictorial Catalogue of Le Blond Prints - New Baxter Society – “To be used in conjunction with the book Abraham Le Blond Colour Printer 1819 - 1894 - Phyllis Lycett and Michael Martin”
1997 - Milestones in Colour Printing 1457 - 1859 - Bamber Gascoigne with a Bibliography of Nelson Prints
2000 – The Production of a Baxter Colour Print – Fred W Seeley
2001 – The Colour Prints of George Baxter – New Baxter Society – CD Rom - also later updates
2002 – The Colour Prints of Abraham Le Blond – New Baxter Society – CD Rom - also later updates
2006 - A Pictorial Catalogue of Joseph Mansell’s Baxter Process prints – Michael Martin, Brian Lawrence and Roger Smith for the New Baxter Society
2007 – A Pictorial Catalogue of Bradshaw and Blacklock’s Baxter Process prints – Michael Martin and Roger Smith for the New Baxter Society
2008 - Baxter Prints - BH Morgan - not the book on Baxter you might think it is
2011 - George Baxter, the First Color Printing from Metal Plates and Wood Blocks - William Scheuerle
2013 - History of Chromolithography – Michael Twyman