[ Christ's Hospital (the Bluecoat School). ] Original photographs, reports, correspondence, from the papers of C. W. Carey, regarding his work on the removal and renovation of paintings by Verrio and others, on the move from London to Horsham. ]

Author: 
Charles William Carey (1862-1943), Curator of Picture Gallery, Royal Holloway College, Egham, Surrey [ Christ's Hospital (the Bluecoat School), successively of London and Horsham, Sussex ]
Publication details: 
[ Christ's Hospital, London and Horsham. C. W. Carey, Egham. ] Between 1900 and 1926.
£2,000.00
SKU: 20001

53 items, in good overall condition, with light signs of age and wear. An interesting collection, not only recording an interesting event in the history of a national institution, but also recording the practices of art restoration in Edwardian England. Including forty original photographs by Carey himself (one of them, signed, a splendid image of the school in Horsham under construction), a long draft report and correspondence between Carey and R. L. Frank's, the school's 'Clerk'. The following description is divided into seven sections. ONE: Autograph draft copy of 'Report on paintings in Christ's Hospital', in ink, with emendations in pencil. 9pp., foolscap 8vo, on seven loose leaves. Addressed 'To the Governors'. Introductory page followed by six sections: 'The Removal', 'The Cleaning', 'The Relining', 'The Restoration & Varnishing', 'The Framing' and 'The Hanging'. Begins 'Gentlemen [preceded by the pencil addition of 'Your Royal Highness &'] | I have the honour to submit to you my report on completing the removal, restoration & re-hanging of the pictures formerly in your Great Hall of the Old Buildings in Newgate Street. The work you trusted me with has been successfully carried out, and although the aged & decayed condition of most of the canvases demanded a great deal more labour & expense than could be determined upon at first I hope you will consider the results satisfactory.' The introduction refers to a catalogue (not present) Carey has compiled 'setting forth therein all the particulars at present obtained' relating to the pictures, which he states is 'accompanied by photographs showing the pictures after restoration, some partly restored, & various stages of work upon the large pictures'. He wonders whether this may 'in the future, serve as the nucleus for a published catalogue'. He concludes the introduction by reiterating that 'additional work including the frames has been done at its actual cost to me, the work as a whole (in spite of my most economical mode consistent with superior treatment & workmanship) demanding a much greater outlay than I anticipated'. TWO: 40 original black and white photographs by Carey, two of them signed by him, detailing the process of restoration and transportation, as well as of the pictures themselves. The material is in good condition, with light signs of age. Four of the photographs, ranging in size from around 19 x 24 cm to 10 x 24 cm, are on grey card backing. The best of them, signed in pencil on the mount, is captioned by him on the reverse: 'Christ's Hospital – Horsham | The Great Hall with the Chapel in process of building'. The largest mounted photograph, with chipping and fraying to the mount, is captioned: '< up Big Picture at Christ's Hospital May 1, 1901 | The Old Buildings in Newgate Street'. Taken at a distance, it shows around nine workmen in the Great Hall. The other two mounted images, one of which is signed and the other with identifications by Carey, are of sections of the Verrio, and both have on the reverse: 'Photo by and Copyright of C. W. Carey, Egham'. The other thirty-six photographs are loose. Four of them, all around 19 x 24 cm, show the process of removing the Verrio from Newgate St, with workmen in white aprons hoisting, rolling and loading the picture into a van. One is marked by Cary 'Copyright' on the reverse, with the following note: '3 Rolling up the Geat Verrio picture in the Great Hall, Christ's Hospital, Chelsea, for removal to Horsham'. Eight of the loose photographs, all around 24 x 15 cm, comprising four more images of the removal of the 'Great Verrio', with a large crowd of unkempt workmen and long ladders in the Great Hall; the other four are images of portraits, three identified on the reverse. Twenty-four of the loose photographs, all around 13 x 11 cm, are all but one images of the 'Great Verrio' in various states of renovation, the exception being another image of workmen in the Great Hall, captioned' 'Preparing to take the big picture down. In the old Hall at C. H. | Newgate Street. | April 26/01'. Two of the others captioned: 'Middle section of Antonio Verrio's Great Picture belonging to Christ's Hospital. | Copyright | C. W. Carey' and 'Varrio's big picture at Christ's Hospital | Right hand portion'. THREE: Draft Autograph Memorandum by Carey headed 'Antonio Verrio | His Majesty Charles ii. receiving in audience the Governors, Teachers, & Scholars of Christ's Hospital.' 4pp., foolscap 8vo. Bifolium. Apparently part of the catalogue referred to by Carey in the introduction to Item [BLANK]. Ends with a 'Diary' of Carey's work, with thirteen entries from 22 April 1901 ('Commenced work of removal') to 22 April 1902 ('[Picture] Hoisted into position'). Pencil annotation in another hand regarding the presence of Samuel Pepys in the picture. With a cutting of an article by Carey from the 'Magazine of Art', titled 'The Removing of a Great Picture', tipped in. The article features four photographic illustrations by Carey. FOUR: Two Autograph Drafts by Carey of 'Report to the Governors of Christ's Hospital on their large painting by Verrio.' Each draft 3pp., foolscap 8vo. One draft - clearly earlier – unsigned, the other signed. Made after an initial examination of 'the large painting by Antonio Verrio in your Great Hall', and discussing in detail the painting's 'condition', and estimates regarding 'removal', 'cost' and 'time'. He stresses that if the work is entrusted to him he will be 'assisted by the most experienced workmen & picture cleaners working under my own immediate supervision & direction & the greatest care will be exercised'. FIVE: Seven Autograph Letters Signed to Carey from R. L. Franks of Christ's Hospital, the last six signed 'R. L. Franks, | Clerk'. Each on the letterhead of Christ's Hospital, London, E.C. (three with expanded address of 60 Aldersgate Street). One dating from 1900, another from 1901, two from 1904 and three from 1906. The 1900 letter is 2pp., 12mo; all of the last six letters are 1p., foolscap 8vo.In the first letter (2 July 1900) Franks writes: 'I have been making enquiries when the Hall at West Horsham is likely to be ready to receive the large picture, & find it would not be safe to have it there until the heating apparatus is at work which will not be till the Spring of next year. The Council have decided to entrust you with the removal restoration and refixing of the picture, but I am not authorised to give you instructions at present. | Perhaps when you are in this neighbourhood you would call in to see the Treasurer & myself.' In the second letter (11 November 1902) Franks informs Carey that the 'Council of Almoners have accepted your estimate of £436 .. 17 .. 0 for the removal and thorough restoration of the 13 pictures remaining in the Great Hall, including the regilding of the frames'. The next two letters, both from 1904, concern the pictures in the Court Room (inviting him to 'send in a report with an estimate of the cost of doing what you advise should be done in each case') and Counting House (entrusting him 'with the restoration of the whole of the Pictures'). A letter of 10 March 1906 informs Carey that 'after hearing an explanation of the charges for extra work in your Account of the removal, restoration, and re-hanging, of the Hospital's pictures in the Court-Room and Counting-House, the Council have approved the payment thereof'. The last two letters (21 June and 6 July 1906), responding to Item Seven below, concern Carey's proposal that he restore the pictures each year, with Carey accepting the House & Finance Committee's counter-proposal that he do so every other year. The last letter carries an autograph signed copy of Carey's reply, and has appended to it a draft of the same, on his letterhead. SIX: Autograph Signed Copy of Letter from Carey to 'Miss Dolling'. On his Egham letterhead; 31 October 1921. 1p., 4to. Written in reply to her question 'as to what “restoration” (of pictures) work I have done': 'The Christ's Hospital authorities asked me in 1900 to report on their large “Verrio” and “Charter” pictures. I commenced the work in April 1901. The 90 ft “Verrio” picture was finished in April 1902. The 30 ft “Charter” and 13 other large pictures were finished about the middle of 1903. | The three letters enclosed herewith [not present] refer to some sixty other portrait &c. pictures in the Christ's Hospital Court room & Counting House. | I may add that the letter dated 10th March 1906 was written after the completed work had been officially inspected by Sir Claude Phillips, late keeper of the Wallace collection, & it refers to the whole work, i.e. including the larger pictures.' In the fourth section, regarding the Verrio, Carey adds the following: 'Sir J Savory [ Sir Joseph Savory (1843-1921), MP and Lord Mayor of London] inspected the picture on March 15 in my studio'. SEVEN: Signed Autograph 'Copy' of letter from 'C. W. Carey' to R. L. Franks, 'Re Pictures', dated 9 June 1906. 1p., 8vo. Following a conversation the previous day, Carey describes the sort of treatment which he considers the paintings require to keep them in good condition, proposing that the works should be done yearly, and giving details of his costs and other factors. 'I could also, if it is desired, undertake to do the pictures at Horsham for the additional sum of Twenty guineas (£21) a year. These figures are based on the supposition that I should have the loan from Christ's Hospital of the necessary ladders.' Two of Franks' letters in reply are in Item Five above.