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Hipkins, Alfred James (1826-1903)
Musical Instruments Historic, Rare and Unique.
Illustrated by William Gibb. Adam and Charles Black: Edinburgh, 1888. first edition. Large folio (16.25" h x 12.75" w). 108 pp. Edition limited to 1040 copies. 50 Plates in Color. Three-quarter red calf with marbled boards and raised bands on spine. Spine ends bumped and front cover hinge rubbed. Some occasional light foxing on a few of the printed pages, otherwise in fine condition, especially of the chromolithograph plates.This substantial book is possibly the first to illustrate instruments in color as well as to include Asian instruments, considered very exotic at the time. Also included are depictions of several illustrious instruments such as the Hellier Stradivari violin and Queen Elizabeth’s virginal.
A nice copy of the difficult-to-find First Edition.
BKS-13399$850The eminent English musician and musicologist Alfred James Hipkins (1826-1903) worked at the piano firm of Broadbent for the whole of his career and was considered the top authority on the history of keyboards.
