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940935

Title
Volume 01: New South Wales drawings (‘The Lambert Drawings’)
Call number
SAFE/PXD 1098/vol. 1
Level of description
item
Date

1790s
Type of material
Graphic Materials, Drawings
Reference code
940935
Issue Copy
Digitised
Physical Description
81 drawings - watercolour
Collection history
Aylmer Bourke Lambert (1761-1842), probably before May 1797*; sale, S. Leigh Sotheby, 26 Lower Grosvenor Street (the residence of the late Mr Lambert), London, 18-20 April, 1842 (Catalogue of the valuable botanical library of the late A.B. Lambert, F.R.S., F.S.A., &c, of Boyton House, Wiltshire), lot 444 (‘New South Wales; 225 most beautiful Drawings, in Colours, of the Quadrupeds and Birds of New South Wales, with the Names of the Birds inserted in pencil by Jo. Latham and an Autograph Letter from him to A.B. Lambert, Esq., concerning the Collection; in 3 vol. calf n.d.’). The 13th Earl of Derby, Knowsley, and thence by descent to the 19th Earl of Derby.
Scope and Content
The watercolours are listed in numerical order as they appear and are numbered in the Lambert albums. The first number in brackets refers to the old Watling drawing number, the second number in brackets refer to the post-1984 Watling mount number. Titles of the majority of the subjects are taken as follows: from the current titles given to the matching Watling Collection subjects in the Natural History Museum, London (First Fleet Artwork Collection); where there is no matching work they are titled according to Latham’s pencilled Latin identifications on the watercolours.

Volume I includes John Latham's autograph letter signed to Aylmer Bourke Lambert, [Romsey] 26 January 1800, concerning the return and contents of the albums, 3 pages, with address leaf.

Volume I (containing 81 watercolours, comprising):
‘A View of the West side of Norfolk Island taken from the West side of Turtle Bay.’ inscribed as titled in the lower margin
watercolour within painted border lines, on verso of album leaf

Pl.1. A wild Dog or Dingo of New South Wales
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’
There is a variant of this drawing titled ‘A wild dog or Dingo of N.S. Wales the Property of J. White Esq Surgeon General to the Territory’ on the reverse in Richard Pulteney drawings (PXA 678/1)

Pl.2. Kangaroo (Watling 88/98)
watercolour on paper

Pl.3. Rodent (Watling 81/91)
inscribed on verso ‘Natural Size / This Animal is not very common, tho more so than in the interior parts than near the Shores / it sometimes gets into the Houses & lives on Corn of any kind & proves distructive (sic) to Indian corn / it sometimes burrows in the ground but is oftner found to retreat into holes of rocks or into hollow / trees it has a false belly or Pouch for its young like the Oppossum tribe - it generally has two Young / -ones Native Name Gnarruck’
watercolour on paper

Pl.4. Marsupial (Watling 89/99)
watercolour on paper

Pl.5. Marsupials (Watling 84/94)
watercolour, 16.2 x 22.1 cm., laid down on album leaf

Pl.6. Marsupial (Watling 80/90)
inscribed on verso ‘½ The Natural Size / very distructive (sic) to Poultry’
watercolour on paper

Pl.7. Marsupial (Watling LS10/89)
inscribed on verso ‘Native Name Mer ri e gang very very distructive (sic) to Poultry &c it was kill’d in a Fowl House where in had destroy’d 20 Hens &c’ [a more extended inscription than is found on Watling LS10]
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.8. Marsupial (Watling 83/93, incorrectly referenced ‘Lambert Drawing III. 8.’)
inscribed on verso ‘Natural Size / The Native Name Mirrin-the Penes & Testicles made visible the former placed between the latter / and the anus -This Animal I cut out of a fallen rotten tree into which my Dog drove it.’
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.9. Kangaroo Rat (Watling 82/92)
inscribed on verso ‘Natural Size tail cutoff’
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.10. Echidna (Watling 94/104)
watercolour on paper

PI.11. Red-breasted or Blue-bellied Parrot (Watling 125/35)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.12. “Psitt. pusillus” (possibly missing Watling …/42)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.13. “Psitt. pacificus”
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.14 Red-shouldered Parrot (Watling 131/44)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.15. Red-breasted Parrot (Watling 127/37)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.16. Scarlet and Green Parrot (Watling 135/50)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.17. Turcosine Parrot (Watling 132/47)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.18. Non-pareil Parrot (Watling 128/38)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.19. Banksian Cockatoo (Watling 137/52)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.20. Banksian Cockatoo (Watling 139/54)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.21. “Psitt. Banksii” (possibly missing Watling … /55)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.22. Banksian Cockatoo (Watling 140/56)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.23. Banksian Cockatoo (Watling 138/53)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J
Whatman’

Pl.24. “Psitt. tabuenfis”
watercolour on paper

Pl.25. Small Parakeet (Watling 129/41)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.26. Crimson-fronted Parrot (Watling 130/43)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.27. Blue-bellied Parrot (126/36)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.28. “Psitt. formosus”
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.29. Scarlet and Green Parrot (Watling 133/48)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.30. Scarlet and Green Parrot (Watling 136/51)
watercolour on paper

Pl.31. Scarlet and Green Parrot (Watling 134/49)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.32. “Psitt. Pennantii” (possibly missing Watling …/45 or 46)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.33. Gold-winged Bee-eater (Watling LS15/900)
inscribed on verso ‘Natural Size / Native Name Goo gwar ruck - Lives on flies, Insects, & sucking Honey from the Banksias &c-’
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.34. Blue-headed Cuckoo (Watling 154/72)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.35. Black and Yellow Bee Eater (Watling 171/92)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.36. Pheasant Cuckoo (Watling 155/73)
watercolour on paper

Pl.37. Wattled Bee-eater (Watling 166/86)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.38. Radiated Falcon (Watling 103/10)
watercolour on paper

Pl.39. Axillary Falcon (Watling 98/4)
inscribed on verso ‘Natural Size / The Head of this Drawing is rather too large & long, the big should be smaller & more rounded / in towards the breast I Had the bird alive 3 Months & fed it on Small Birds fish &c.’
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.40. Allied to the axillary Falcon (Watling 102/8)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.41. Pondicherry Eagle (Watling 97/3)
watercolour on paper

Pl.42. Pondicherry Eagle (Watling 96/2)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.43. Bold Vulture (Watling 95/1)
watercolour on paper

Pl.44. New-Holland Lark (Watling 270/193)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.45. “Scythrops novae Hollandiae”
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.46. “Scythrops novae Hollandiae” (Watling LS12/57)
watercolour on paper, the folded sheet extending to 35 cm. wide

Pl.47. American Avoset (Watling 336/268 but here referenced ‘W267.’)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’, the folded sheet extending to 48.3 cm. high

Pl.48. “Corvus auritus”
watercolour on paper

Pl.49. Frontal Shrike (Watling 122/32)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.50. Guttural Thrush (Watling 218/140)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.51. Variable Crow (Watling 143/60)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.52. Robust Shrike (Watling 118/28)
watercolour on paper

Pl.53. “an Corvus Cayanus” (Watling 141/58)
watercolour on paper

Pl.54. Green Grakle (Watling 151/69)
watercolour on paper

Pl.55. Cinereous Grakle (Watling 152/70)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.56. Chattering Bee Eater (Watling 176/97)
watercolour on paper

Pl.57. Blue-cheeked Bee Eater (Watling 174/95)
watercolour on paper

Pl.58. “Loxia fascinans”
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.59. “Turdus volitans, Type”
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl. 60. New-Holland Partridge (Watling 301/227)
watercolour on paper

Pl.61. New-Holland Curlew (Watling 312/242)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.62. White-faced Pigeon (Watling 299/225)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’
There is a further version of this watercolour in: Drawings of birds chiefly from Australia, 1791-1792 (PXD 226/f.81), the drawing undated but recording first sight of these pigeons in December 1791.

Pl. 63. “Columba melanoleuca”
watercolour on paper

Pl.64. “Columbo chalcoptera”
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.65. Black-jointed Gallinule (Watling 331/260)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.66. Banded Goatsucker (Watling 294/219)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.67. Strigoid Goatsucker (Watling 295/220)
watercolour on paper watermarked `1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.68. Great-headed Goatsucker (Watling 296/221)
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl. 69. Gracile Goatsucker (Watling 297/222)
watercolour on paper

Pl.70. Bristled Goatsucker (Watling 298/223)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.71. New-Holland Goatsucker (Watling 293/218)
watercolour on paper

Pl.72. “Anus australis”
watercolour on paper

Pl.73. “Podiceps dominicus”
watercolour on paper

Pl.74. Semi-palmated Duck (Watling 355/288)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.75. Hawksbury Duck (Watling 354/286)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.76. Hawksbury Duck (Watling 353/285)
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.77. “Anas malacorhynchos”
watercolour on paper watermarked 1794 / J Whatman’

Pl.78. “anus Discors”
watercolour on paper

Pl.79. “Ardea piscivora”
watercolour heightened with gum arabic on paper

Pl.80. “antis atrata”
watercolour on paper watermarked ‘1794 / J Whatman’
Not in Watling, which only features the male of the species (351/283), and probably a copy of the sheet in the Zoology of N. Holland etc.
Copying Conditions
Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
Finding Aids
Transcript of letter to A. B. Lambert from J. Latham, 1800, available online - acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2011/D13523/a5197.htm
Description source

New South Wales drawings : the property of the Earl of Derby : important early Australian watercolours from the library of the 13th Earl of Derby at Knowsley [catalogue] / Christie's. [London : Christie's, 2011]
General note

Digital order no:Album ID : 961228
Exhibited in

TAL & Dai-ichi Life Derby collection of natural history watercolours, 1790s - State Library of New South Wales (12 December, 2011 - 12 February, 2012). Various page turnings on view
Artist colony: drawing Sydney’s nature - State Library of New South Wales
Open Rosetta viewer
IE357145