[Scenery of the Windward & Leeward Islands]

London: Ackermann & Co, 1837. Oblong folio. (16 x 21 inches). 12 hand coloured aquatints after Caddy engraved by Fielding, Harris, Hunt and Westall [complete without text, as issued]. Each print measuring approximately 11 1/4 x 14 inches. Each tipped onto sheets of blue paper within an album. The album: 19th century purple morocco, covers decoratively panelled in blind and gilt, expertly rebacked to style, purple silk endpapers.

Provenance: E.P. (initials in gilt on upper cover of album).

Very rare complete set of among the most desirable 19th century colour aquatint views of West Indian landscape.

"John Herbert Caddy was born into a family of military engineers. His grandfather had been sent to Newfoundland in the 18th century to build a fort. In about 1796 his father left Kent, England, for a posting in Lower Canada and in 1808 was transferred to the garrison at Fort Malden, Amherstburg, Upper Canada. John Herbert began his schooling at Amherstburg and in 1815 he was sent to England for military training at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich (now part of London). In March 1816 he was enlisted at the academy as a gentleman cadet in the Royal Artillery and received training as an engineer and cannoneer. Like George Heriot, James Pattison Cockburn, Philip John Bainbrigge, and other English military artists who painted Canadian scenes, Caddy was trained at Woolwich in topographical sketching and painting. Much of his free time was spent at the home of a family friend, Colonel Richard Hamilton, at Woolwich Common. Caddy was commissioned 2nd lieutenant on 29 July 1825 and promoted 1st lieutenant in 1827. In 1828 he married Colonel Hamilton's daughter Georgiana, shortly before he left for duty in Tobago. He returned to England in 1831, but after two years left his family for his second West Indian posting, at St Lucia. In May 1834 he was transferred to St Vincent where he was joined later by his wife and family. Diary fragments describe the social rounds, the hunting, and the sketching which were possible with light military duties. Before he left for St Vincent Caddy had prepared for publication a series of four folios of scenes, largely of the West Indies. The pictures of the first folio were engraved in London and were published in 1837 by Ackermann; the other three folios never appeared" (Dictionary of Canadian Biography). The views comprise: 1) Brimstone Hill / St. Kitts. [Engraved by J. Harris] 2) Fort Charlotte, St. Vincent's / from Kingston. [Engraved by N. Fielding] 3) The Old Crater of the Soufriere / St. Vincent. [Engraved by W. Westall] 4) The Pitons or Sugar-loaves / St. Lucia. [Engraved by C. Hunt] 5) Sandy Point, St. Kitts. [Engraved by C. Hunt 6) Pigeon Island, & Village of Gros Islet / St. Lucia. [Engraved by J. Harris] 7) The Town of Castries / St. Lucia. [Engraved by N. Fielding] 8) Kingstown / St. Vincent's / from Cane-Garden Point. [Engraved by J. Harris] 9) View from Morne Fortune / St. Lucia ... [Engraved by J. Harris] 10) Roseau, Dominica. [Engraved by J. Harris] 11) The Rabacca or Dry River / Soufriere Mountain in the distance / St. Vincent. [Engraved by W. Westall] 12) Basaltic Rocks / in Washilabou or Cumberland Valley, St. Vincent. [Engraved by W. Westall] This suite of plates was issued without text or title (the title above as supplied by Abbey from the lettering on the cover of the binding on his set). The work was published, as a contemporary advertisement reveals, as a suite of "highly coloured views" for £3.10. The present set with all prints containing the original 1837 issue imprint and with 1836-1837 watermarks is very rare.

Abbey Travel, 692; Sabin, 9824; The Exotic and the Beautiful I:04.