The caped collector Kerrianne Stone Albums of prints are among the and the Percys. Jane Seymour, Northumberland and in 1751 took highlights of the Baillieu Library Henry VIII’s third wife, who died her surname, in 1766 being made the Print Collection, so I was aware that providing Henry’s only male heir, first duke of Northumberland for his the library’s nine albums of prints was her ancestral aunt. The Percy services to the crown.7 by the Sadeler dynasty of engravers name, which traces its lineage back Together the duke and duchess of once belonged to the first duchess of to the Norman Conquest, is known Northumberland enlisted the great Northumberland.1 But the magnitude rather for its connection to the 18th-century neoclassical architect of the duchess’s persona and her notorious Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Robert Adam, who spent many importance as a collector were only Thomas Percy was one of the chief years transforming their ancestral made real to me when I took up the conspirators, along with Guy Fawkes, houses into contemporary feats of Harold Wright and Sarah & William in the attempt to blow up the British high art and taste. Northumberland Holmes Scholarship last year, to study parliament. The plot is rumoured House accommodated the duchess’s prints at the British Museum. to have been hatched at the family ‘Musaeum’, an expansive collection The story of Elizabeth Seymour estate, Syon House, the location of of pictures, objects and specimens, Percy Northumberland (1716–1776) the ninth earl of Northumberland’s which she spent her life assembling.8 is astonishing: enjoying an illustrious armoury.6 Thus the first duchess of This grand house near Trafalgar pedigree, in the sphere of collectors Northumberland was a woman with Square was demolished in 1874 and museums she was a champion of both nobility and gunpowder in her to make way for Northumberland the Enlightenment. It is only in the blood: characteristics that carried Avenue, although a glimmer of its last few decades that her significance over into her taste and determination former splendour can still be seen as a diarist, collector and patron as a collector. at the Victoria and Albert Museum, have attracted due attention.2 In this Because her brother had died of where the sparkling red and green article I provide a brief overview of smallpox during his Grand Tour foil-backed glass-panel fireplace my encounter with her in London in 1740, when Elizabeth Seymour surround, designed by Robert and indicate why her history and Percy’s father died in 1750 she Adam, is displayed,9 alongside an collecting are of such interest.3 inherited the family title (becoming architectural model of the drawing In her mezzotint portrait by Baroness Percy) and its wealth room.10 Syon House featured an Richard Houston, after a painting and estates: the London mansion 18th-century-style print room by Joshua Reynolds (see opposite),4 Northumberland House, Syon decorated with 100 prints, complete Elizabeth wears a family ermine House in Brentford (Middlesex), and with printed decorative borders. It and velvet cape and is holding the Alnwick Castle, the family seat in was from this house that the albums coronet that signifies her position as Northumberland. In 1744 she had now in the Baillieu Library were sold countess of Northumberland.5 Her married Sir Hugh Smithson in 1951 (the albums were originally name encapsulates the two great (c. 1712–1786), a baronet and stored at Northumberland House), aristocratic families from which politician, who through his wife and so it is this residence that is of she was descended: the Seymours succeeded to the earldom of chief interest here (see p. 34). 32 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 18, June 2016 Kerrianne Stone, ‘The caped collector’ 33 Previous page: Richard Houston (engraver), after Joshua Reynolds, Elizabeth countess of Northumberland, Baroness Percy, Lucy, Poynings, Fitzpain, Bryan, and Latimer, c. 1759, mezzotint, 49.8 × 34.6 cm. 2015.0038, purchased 2015, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne. Left: The front approach to Syon House. Photograph by Kerrianne Stone. Syon House is built upon the Jacques-Louis Macie, 1764–1829), between 1741 and 1745. Griffiths remains of a medieval Bridgettine a mineralogist, who is remembered also traced the whereabouts of many abbey, which once housed an today as the founder—through of the duchess’s print albums, which important library of more than 1,400 his substantial bequest—of the had found their way into the British books and manuscripts. The abbey Smithsonian Institution in America. Museum, various institutions in New fell in Henry VIII’s dissolution of the By branding the Smithson name York, and of course to Melbourne.16 monasteries; the new Tudor courtyard on what is now a world-recognised The contents of all nine Melbourne house was the home of Edward scientific institution he was attempting volumes were listed and published Seymour, protector of Henry’s young to attain the acknowledgement as part of a Master of Arts thesis by heir. Even today, scholarship seems denied him by the family titles and Ruth M. Edquist, a project that took to resonate through the floorboards, his illegitimacy.13 Although James a dedicated 14 years to complete.17 while overhead Robert Adam’s Smithson’s portrait does not hang in As part of a re-binding project in the resplendent coffered ceilings and the former print room at Syon House, mid-1990s, which at that time was Francesco Zuccarelli’s lunettes glow his story is told as part of it and his thought to be an efficient means of with grandeur. The prints were taken legacy has consequently become preserving the prints, the Baillieu down in the 19th century as part intertwined with that of the Percys, Library sent all except two of the of the third duke’s renovations, and whose history was composed of many Harleian albums to conservator the print room now houses family burls and knots. It is fascinating that and bookbinder Robin Tait for re- portraits.11 What immediately strikes the albums in the Baillieu Library have binding. The five Harleian bindings today’s visitor are incongruities among connections to, and tell stories about, that were removed were stored in the the portraits of British blue-bloods, some of the Western world’s greatest Baillieu (opposite, above).18 such as the depiction of Mohawk collectors, collections and institutions. While in London I attended the chief Joseph Brant Thayendanegea Seven of the nine albums in the annual Panizzi Lectures at the British (1742–1807). This is explained by Baillieu Library were first identified Library, which in 2015 were given by the involvement of Elizabeth and by their bindings as coming from the Professor David McKitterick (retired Hugh’s eldest son, Lord Hugh Percy library of Robert Harley, first earl of librarian and vice-master of Trinity (1742–1817), in the American War Oxford (1661–1724), and his son, by College, Cambridge). One aspect of of Independence, where he fought at Antony Griffiths, then keeper of prints the ‘invention’ of rare books discussed Boston and New York. He befriended at the British Museum.14 Harley’s by Professor McKitterick was how Brant, who became one of many was one of the greatest libraries of printed sale catalogues influenced the visitors to Syon House.12 Thus the the 18th century, the manuscript perception and construction of book family’s rhizomes and interests had collection becoming a foundation ‘rarity’. The second lecture, which begun to extend into the New World. stone of the British Library (then part focused on the sale of the earl of Elizabeth’s husband had three of the British Museum),15 but the Oxford’s library (the Harleian sales), illegitimate children, including one book collection was dispersed on the included reference to volume 5 of the son: James Lewis Smithson (born open market in a series of auctions enormous auction catalogue, which 34 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 18, June 2016 Harleian binding removed in 1994–95 from volume 7 of Sadeler’s works: Aegidius & Justo (gift of the Society of Collectors 1962, Rare Books, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne. contained a listing of the prints. auctioned through Sotheby’s in 1951; albums reveal information about There, at Lot 90, is what appears to its fate is unknown but most likely 18th-century collecting methods. be the entry for the Baillieu’s seven it was broken up and the prints sold Enlightenment collections were Harleian albums: individually.20 based on a philosophy of collecting And what of the Baillieu’s other encyclopaedically across disciplines, Aegidius, Ralph, John, and two albums, not listed in the Harleian bringing together scientific and Justus Sadeler’s Works complete, sales catalogue—those containing artistic works that enabled specialist containing nine hundred and the prints after Maarten de Vos? research to be disseminated for five very curious Prints, bound The titling of the albums hints at the benefit of the world. This in 8 vol. in Calves Leather, gilt the changing fashions and tastes of same philosophy underpinned the on the Leaves. To enumerate the print scholars and connoisseurs over foundation in 1753 of the British Masters whose works the Sadelers the years: the Harleian albums are Museum.23 Indeed, Elizabeth’s have engraved after, wou’d be titled on the spine Sadeler’s works and husband was appointed to the unnecessary; it being well known, subtitled with the engraver’s name, museum’s inaugural board of trustees that there is hardly a capital whereas the two Northumberland and the pair were influenced by Picture, either of the Italian or albums are titled on the spines the objects and Enlightenment Flemish Schools which they have Sadeler’s works and subtitled with methodologies of this landmark omitted.19 the master’s name.21 These latter two institution.24 albums have very different bindings The first duchess of This auction took place in 1745; (inexpensive blue paste boards) from Northumberland was not only it is possible that the duchess’s the other seven and follow an unusual securing rare works of art, such as London agent bought the Sadeler method of attaching the prints to the the seven albums from the Harleian volumes.