A Series of Original Portraits and Caricature Etchings by the Late John Kay, miniature painter, Edinburgh, Volumes I and II

Edinburgh: Hugh, Paton Carver and Gilder, 1837. Hardcover. Very good. Amusing caricatures by John Kay of late eighteenth century Edinburgh society, including No. XXXIII "Lord Rockville, Dr. Adam Smith, and Commissioner Brown", No. XXXVI "Vincent Lunardi, in his Basket, Ready to Ascend"; No. XXXVII "Marriage", which is a double image that can be viewed right side up and upside down to reveal "After Marriage"; No, XXXVIII "A Group of Aeronauts", which shows a group of men with hot air balloons in the background.

4to, two volumes. Volume I, Part 1: Subscribers' List xix, 216pp, 90 plates. Volume II, Part 2: pages 277 - 472, 68 plates; Appendix with 29 plates, Index, Notice. Rebound in modern medium gray leatherette with gilt titles at spines (Kay's Original Portraits). Top and bottom edges lightly rubbed. Internally, pages toned, damp marks at edges of some plates; in Vol. I only three plates are actually intruded on by damp (XLIV, LVI and LXVI); some others marked at edges and dusty, but the majority of the plates are not marked. All plates in Vol. II bright and clean. Small amount of pencil underlining in the text in both volumes, pencil previous owner signature at title page of Vol. I.