ROGERS, John (fl. early 19th century). Celebrated Sailing Vessels, of Different Classes; from the Original Drawings. London: Thomas M'Lean, 1825.

Very rare color-plate book on sailing ships, complete with all 24 lithographs. Among the boats are an American Schooner, Virginia Pilot Boat, French Privateer, and various English War Vessels. Although individual lithographs occasionally appear on the market, this book-form is extremely rare. The only copy on OCLC is in the library of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, and the only two copies to appear in the auction records of RBH and ABSA were sold in 1959 (incomplete) and in 1922 (Anderson Galleries, possibly this copy). Not in Abbey; not in Tooley.

Oblong folio (275 x 404mm). Letterpress title-page and 24 hand-colored lithographed plates on wove paper by John Rogers and printed by Rowney & Forster (dampstain to fore-edge encroaching on images on about 4 plates, scattered small creases and stains, pale vertical stain on pl.21, spotting on pls. 3, 8, and 17, pencil notes on pls. 16 and 17, dampstain at top gutter corner from pls. 19-24, imprint and/or numbering trimmed on about 4 plates, caption shaved on pl. 11). Contemporary marbled boards with paper printed cover label (later calf spine, boards rubbed, corners a bit chipped).