The Gallery of Portraits with Memoirs – 1833 | First Edition w/ Steel Engravings, 7 Volumes

The Gallery of Portraits with Memoirs by Arthur Thomas Malkin was published in London in 1833 under the supervision of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. This first edition by Charles Knight is presented in seven volumes. Founded in 1826 at the instigation of Lord Brougham, the Society aimed to expand access to learning for readers outside traditional institutions.

The set contains 168 steel-engraved portraits with accompanying memoirs, covering a wide range of figures across literature, science, politics, philosophy, art, and religion. Notable portraits include Dante, Milton, Copernicus, Voltaire, Handel, Erasmus, Luther, Leonardo da Vinci, Newton, Washington, Napoleon, and Molière.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Gallery of Portraits with Memoirs
• Author(s): Arthur Thomas Malkin
• Illustrator(s):
• Contributor(s): Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge
• Publisher: London, Charles Knight
• Edition: First edition, 1833
• Format: (4to), 7-volume set
• Binding: Red leather, green-marbled boards
• Size:  10.75 in x 7.5 in (27.5 cm x 19 cm)
• Collation: each individually paginated
• Illustrations: 168 steel-engraved portraits
• Contents Include:
  • Memoirs and portraits of figures in science, religion, philosophy, politics, and the arts
  • Biographical sketches of Dante, Milton, Copernicus, Voltaire, Handel, Erasmus, Luther, Leonardo da Vinci, Newton, Washington, Napoleon, and Molière
• Provenance: provenance
• Reference(s): references

Condition:

Very Good. Leather bindings are tight and secure with only mild wear. Volumes are complete, engravings are sharp, and the text remains clear throughout.

Why Collect This?

• Complete seven-volume first edition from 1833
• 168 steel-engraved portraits of major world figures
• Bound in decorative leather, presenting well as a collected set

Item Number: # 29440