Sir Thomas Phillipps: Family Portraits, ca. 1850-1868

RLIN ID No.
NYGG04-A22

Title Main Entry
Phillipps family photographs, ca. 1850-1868.

Physical Description
17 ambrotypes : 21 x 8 cm. and smaller
6 daguerreotypes : 6 x 5 cm. and smaller
6 stereoscopic daguerreotypes : 23 x 16 cm.
34 photographs : 25 x 17 cm. and smaller
3 silhouettes: 8 x 13 cm. and smaller

Historical/Biographical Note
Sir Thomas Phillipps (17992-1872) was the pre-eminent book and manuscript collector of nineteenth century England. By the time of his death he had amassed nearly 60,000 manuscripts and about as many printed books. These were first housed at his estate of Middle Hill at Broadway, Worcestershire and from 1864 at Thirlestaine House, Cheltenham. He had three daughters by his first wife. His middle daughter, Maria, married John Walcot and his youngest daughter, Katharine, married Fenwick. The images were collected by Harrison D. Horblit.

Scope and Contents Note
The collection consists of 64 images representing Sir Thomas Phillipps and members of his family as well as a few family friends. Among the persons represented are: his second wife, Lady Elizabeth Mansel Phillips; two of his daughters: Maria Phillipps Walcot and her son OwenWalcot, and Kate Phillipps Fenwick, her husband John and their Thomas Fitzroy Fenwick, The collection includes: group portraits of his servants at Middle Hill; his long-time personal servant, George Holloway; a photograph of a silhouette of his daughter Maria (Mary); unidentified children (possibly grandchildren) and several adult unidentified sitters. Processes represented are daguerreotypes, including stereoscopic daguerreotypes (some taken by Richard Beard and Antoine Claudet), ambrotypes and photographs. Almost all of the daguerreotypes are housed in their original morocco cases; some have been tinted by hand. The ambrotypes are in their original pinchbeck gilt or papier-mache frames and some have been tinted by hand. Many of the ambrotypes have identifications in the hand of Sir Thomas Phillipps. There are also three silhouettes. Thirty-four photographs, including one of the collector Harrison Horblit, complete the collection.

Finding Aid Note
Finding aid available in repository.

Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Jean Mermin Horblit, 1995.

Exhibition Note
Portions of the collection exhibited: “The Collector Collected: The Horblit Phillipps Archives on Sir Thomas Phillipps at the Grolier Club,” 1997 May 20 to July 31.

Names
Beard, Richard, 1801 or 1802-1885, photographer.
Fenwick, Katharine Somerset Wyttenbach Phillipps, 1823-1913.
Fenwick, John Edwin Addison, 1824-1913.
Fenwick, Thomas Fitzroy Phillipps, 1856-1938
Horblit, Harrison D., collector.
Horblit, Jean Mermin, donor.
Holloway, George.
Phillipps, Elizabeth Mansel, b. 1815.
Phillipps, Thomas, Sir, 1792-1872.
Walcot, Owen Charles Bampfylde Dashwood.
Walcot, Maria Phillipps, 1821-1858.
Claudet, A. (Antoine), 1797-1867, photographer.
Phillipps family.
Fenwick family.
Walcot family.

Genres
Ambrotypes. England. 19th century.
Daguerreotypes. England,. 19th century.
Photographs. England. 19th century.
Silhouettes. England. 19th century.

Subjects
Domestics. England. 19th century. Photographs.

Location
Grolier Club, 47 East 60th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022-1098.


Collection Inventory
Portraits by Sitter

Sir Thomas Phillipps
Seated with mustache. Daguerreotype by Richard Beard, ca. 1845.
Seated, without beard. Paper print of stereoscopic daguerreotype, 1859.
Sir Thomas Phillips and his second wife, Lady Elizabeth Mansel Phillipps. Carte de visite, ca. 1863? On verso: “Oportet vivere, 2 North Parade, Cheltenham.”
Seated, without beard (different image from above). Modern photographic print of ca. 1860s image.
Seated, with beard. Photograph, ca. 1860s.
In middle age. Photograph, ca. 1860s, mounted and framed on wall of Club.
In old age, seated with book; no beard. Photograph, ca. 1860s, mounted and on wall of Club.
Head and shoulders portrait. Tinted ambrotype, undated, gilt frame set in framed mat, undated. Photographers stamp on verso: “Taken by Herve at the Celebrated Lyceum Gallery/114 Strand.”
In old age, beardless. Photograph, undated; image area: 21 x 15 cm; dimensions of sheet: 57 x 38 cm. At bottom of photograph: Photography by McLean, Melhuesh, Napper, The Strand.

William Phillipps
Seated, identified by Sir Thomas Phillipps as “Mr. Wm. Phillipps of Laverton
Co. Gloucestershire.” Ambrotype, 1857.
Standing. Ambrotype, undated, in small frame.

Walcot Family
Maria Phillipps Walcot. Stereoscopic daguerreotype by Antoine Claudet, 1856.
Mary (Maria) Phillipps (later Walcot). Photograph of silhouette, undated.
John Phillipps Walcot. Photograph mounted on card stock, undated (10 copies).
Owen Walcot. Photograph, undated (10 copies).

Fenwick Family
John Addison Edward Fenwick (husband of Katharine Phillipps). Ambrotype, 1856.
John D. Fenwick. Tinted daguerreotype, 1850s? On front of case: “Mr. Kilburn/154
Regent Street.”
Katharine Anne Fenwick (granddaughter of Sir Thomas), aged 11. Ambrotype, 1860.
Martyn John Edward or Thomas Fitzroy Fenwick (son of above), aged 9 years. Tinted ambrotype, 1860.
Martyn John Edward or Thomas Fitzroy Fenwick (another image). Ambrotype, ca. 1858-1860.
Martyn John Edward or Thomas Fitzroy Fenwick (another image). Ambrotype, ca. 1860.
Fenwick family. Ambrotype, undated.
Sir Thomas Phillipps and Fenwick family. Ambrotype, undated.

Servants at Middle Hill
George Holloway (personal servant to Sir Thomas Phillipps) at the age of 82.
Photographic print, 1868 (2 copies).
Servants at Middle Hill (group portrait with seven individuals). Ambrotype, undated but before 1864.
Servants at Middle Hill (group portrait with eight individuals. Ambrotype, undated but before 1864.

Family Friends
Comte la Borde. Photograph, 31 July 1851.
Mrs. Ferrer (wife of Captain Ferrer). Stereoscopic daguerreotype by Antoine Claudet, 1850.
Mrs. Ferrer, standing. Tinted stereoscopic daguerreotype by Antoine Claudet, ca. 1850-1856.
Mrs. Ferrer and her friend Mrs. Tottenham. Tinted stereoscopic daguerreotype by Antoine Claudet, ca. 1850-1856.

Unidentified Sitters
Female child. Tinted ambrotype, undated, in small frame.
Small child in chair. Tinted ambrotype, undated, in oval case of red velvet.
Very young girl with ringlets. Tinted ambrotype, undated.
Two children (boy and girl). Two photographs, undated, inserted into one mounting board.

Woman (Lady Elizabeth Phillipps?). Daguerreotype, probably by Richard Beard, undated.
Young woman (daughter of Sir Thomas Phillipps?). Tinted ambrotype, undated, in small velvet case.
Young woman (daughter of Sir Thomas Phillipps?). Daguerreotype, undated. On verso of image: “Patent Apparatus at Photographic Institution/Imperial Nursery/Promenade, Cheltenham.”
Young woman wearing bonnet (daughter of Sir Thomas Phillipps?). Tinted daguerreotype by Richard Beard, undated.

Young woman. Stereoscopic daguerreotype by Antoine Claudet, ca. 1850-1856.
Woman. Stereoscopic daguerreotype by Antoine Claudet, ca. 1850-1856.
Woman. Two daguerreotypes (different poses) by Richard Beard, undated.
Woman. Ambrotype, undated, surrounded with wooden frame.
Old woman (possibly a relation of Sir Thomas Phillipps). Salt and pepper print, ca. 1850.

Man. Daguerreotype, undated, in dark red velvet oval case.
Man. Ambrotype, undated, in papier-mâché case (cover detached).

Silhouettes
Mrs. Molyneux (mother-in-law).
Dr. Moylan.
Young woman with chignon (possibly a daughter of Sir Thomas Phillipps).
Thomas Fitzroy Fenwick, in oval frame.



(Updated 2/7/2008)