The Exhibition of the Royal Academy, M.DCC.XCIII. The Twenty-Fifth [1793]. [AND]. The Twenty-Sixth. The Twenty-Seventh. The Twenty-Eighth. The Twenty-Ninth. The Thirtieth. The Thirty-First. The Thirty-Second. The Thirty-Third. The Thirty-Fourth. The Thirty-Fifth. The Thirty-Sixth. The Thirty-Seventh. The Thirty-Eighth. The Thirty-Ninth [1807]

London: Printed by Joseph Cooper [1793 - 96]; Cooper and Graham [1797]; J. Cooper [1798 - 1799]; B M'Millan [1800 - 1807], 1793 - 1807. 4to, 247 x 187 mms., catalogues for 15 consecutive years, pp. 24 [25 - 32 list of exhibitors]; 22 [23 - 33 list of exhibitors, 34 blank]; 20 [21 - 26 list of exhibitors]; 23 [24 - 28 list of exhibitors]; 31 [32 - 38 list of exhibitors]; 35 [36 Members, 37 - 43 list of exhibitors, 44 blank]; 39 [40 Members, 41 - 47 list of exhibitors, 48 blank]; 40 [41 Members, 42 - 47 list of exhibitors, 48 blank]; 37 [38 Members, 39 - 45 list of exhibitors, 46 blank]; 41 [42 Members, 43 - 50 list of exhibitors]; 40 [41 Members, 42 - 48 list of exhibitors]; 41 [42 Members, 43 - 49 list of exhibitors, 50 blank]; 36 [37 Members, 38 - 44 list of exhibitors]; 35 [36 Members, 37 - 44 list of exhibitors]; 43 [44 Members 45 - 52 list of exhibitors], with contemporary annotations identifying sitters or places in years 1794, 1795, and 1796, a few other contemporary annotations in pencil, the contemporary autograph "G Rhodes" on title-page of first three catalogues, newly rebound in half calf, gilt spine, green morocco label, marbled boards; many leaves soiled, especially title-pages, last leaf of thirtieth catalogue repaired, small piece torn from upper margin of title-page of thirty-seventh, and with other evidence of the catalogues actually being used, but a good collection of an uncommon piece of ephemera. The Royal Academy of Arts was founded in December, 1768, with Sir Joshua Reynolds as its first president. Presumably its first exhibition catalogue was issued that year or in 1769; the second was certainly issued in 1770, though extant copies of that exhibition are on paper watermarked "1825." Copies of all early issues are uncommon. For example, ESTC T12724 for 1793 locates copies in the BL, and the National Gallery; Huntington, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Penn State (Pattee).