Savignhac (P. de) & Pearson (G.)

Asiatic Museum Illustrated. Part 1. Comprising Figures of all the Models that were presented to the Museum by Miss Tytler. Making a total of Eighty-three to which is added A Portrait of Sir W. Jones, Founder of the Asiatic Society & View of the Society’s Appartments in Chowringhee..., part 2 never issued, 25 lithographic plates with tissue guards, including portrait frontispiece, two on chine collé, original paper boards with lithographic label, tattered and stained, spine lacking, oblong folio (265 x 360mm), Asiatic Lith. Company’s Press, Calcutta, 1828.

***The museological importance of the scarce Asiatic Museum Illustrated is described in The Indian Museum, 1814-1914: “Unfortunately, as is so often the case in old museum collections, a large proportion of the oldest specimens have lost their value owing to the fact that they were not properly labelled at the time they were received, or that the labels have since been lost. An interesting little book or rather portfolio of lithographs published in 1828 enables us, however, to trace some specimens.”

Lithography was introduced to India from France by Philippe de Savignhac. The Asiatic Lithographic Company’s Press was established in 1823 and regarded as the first commercially viable press in India. It was the premier lithographic press in Calcutta during the 1820’s and responsible for a number of “lithographic firsts” in India.