Encyclopaedia londinensis, or,

Universal dictionary of arts, sciences, and literature

1810-29

Originally from Winchester, John Wilkes was an established London printer, bookseller and publisher, and the proprietor of the Hampshire Chronicle, one of England’s oldest continuing publications. In 1810 Wilkes published the first eight volumes of his Encyclopaedia londinensis with a volume published almost every year thereafter until the twenty fourth and last in 1829. Compiled and arranged by Wilkes much of the information came from other small works not always his own as was often the case with such compendiums, and indeed he was successfully sued for the not unsubstantial sum of £100 by Charles Roworth author of Art of Defence with the Broad Sword for piracy.

Many of the engravings for the Encyclopaedia londinensis were executed by the extremely gifted John Pass, also originally from Winchester. Pass used his own work as well as existing images by some of the finest artists of his time, making amendments where necessary to correlate to the Encyclopaedia. Sadly Pass’s lasting fame came not from his life but rather his death. In 1832 whilst collecting a debt Pass was brutally murdered in the workshop of the young printer James Cook. Cook dismembered the body but having become quite inebriated left the pieces burning in an open grate and went home. The chimney caught fire and neighbours alerted the police; Cook absconded but was later arrested trying to gain passage to America. He was hanged in Leicester; his body was ‘anatomised’ by students, then redressed, placed in a gibbet, and put on display. He was the last man in England to be so exhibited; the crowd became so disorderly and ‘licentious’ that he was immediately buried.

The Encyclopaedia londinensisis provides an eloquent visual presentation of the history and most recent developments in the Arts and Sciences of the time, and serves as an extraordinary record of the talents of Pass and his contemporaries. These particular examples of the Encyclopaedia londinensisis are in fine original hand colour, expertly and lavishly applied with no expense spared, and are without known equal.

Below are a few examples from this collection. Please click on an image to see it in high-resolution with details of the work itself. For the full list of original antique Wilkes engravings available,  please do contact us.

Warbler (Motacilla): Pinc Pinc grass warbler with nest.

Argonaut Nautilus, Venus’s ears and 3 Auris Cochleae and three Cylindri. After Albertus Seba, engraved by John Pass.

Mount Etna erupting in 1787. Engraved by John Pass.

Peru: Amazon warrior of the Yura maguas, Priestess of the Temple of the sun and a women dressed as the Goddess of war in 1789.

Watermelon: With Acharia Moth (Acharia ophelians, caterpillar, chrysalis and pupa. After Maria Sybilla Merian. Engraved by John Pass.

Dendera: Temple of Hathor. Egyptian Zodiac from the ceiling of a shrine dedicated to the god Osiris in the temple of Hathor at Dendera. Renowned as the only complete map of an ancient sky.

Lantern Fly (Fulgora): With the Planthopper (Fulgora diadema), Asian lantern bug (Fulgora candelaria) and a Fuchia plant.

Tarantula (Arachne): Faciata (Barbary) Spider in its web with young and insects. Engraved by John Pass.

Nectarine and Almond: Orange Nectarine, Sweet Almond and Creeping Almond.

Crocodile (Lacerta): Nile Crocodile with detail of head and jaw of a young crocodile. Engraved by John Pass.

Peacock (Pavo): Common peacock engraved by John Pass.

Copper from Hungary1, 2, Cornwall 3, 4, 5, Japan 6, Hepatic copper 7, Black vitrreous ore 8, Bue copper 9 Malachite 10 Copper in quartz 11, Copper pyrites 12, Yellow copper C fulvum

Indian elephant.Engraved by John Pass.

Giraffe (Cervus): Cameleopard. Engraved by John Pass.

With details of fruit and ten specimens of fruit flies.

Boletus igniarius and Frondosius, Blasia pusilla, Buxbaumia aphylla and Byssus fulva.

Viper (Coluber): Bushmaster Pit Viper (Lachesis). After Albertus Seba. Engraved by John Pass.

Peru: The Incan King and Queen.

Sweet and Bell peppers (Capsicum annuum and grossum). With 19 specimens of Carabus beetles.

Butterfly Fish (Chaetodon): The three coloured Chetodon. After Marcus Bloch. Engraved by John Pass.

A smoking party in the Bengal.

Scorpion (Scorpio): European, Black and Linear Scorpions. Engraved by John Pass.

Indian Guitar: With detail of the guitar and scale.

Ray: Devil Ray, Guitarfish, Thornback and Electric Ray. Engraved by John Pass.

Butterfly Fish (Chaetodon): The Chetodon of Surat. After Marcus Bloch. Engraved by James Pass.

Murices: Cones. A Rock Shell with Aporrhais and Rhombus. After Albertus Seba, engraved by John Pass.

Warbler (Motacilla): African Warbler with nest.

Insects (Entymology): Orders of Linneas. The Coleopterous male 1, femaile 2, Hemipterous male 3, female 4, with egs and larvae, Lepidopterous 5, 6, eggs 7-9, Neuropterous male 10, female 11, Hymenopterous male12 female 13, Dipterous male 14 , female 15 Apterous female 16, male 17, Engraved by John Pass.

Globusae: Persian Crown, Harp, Helmut, Partridge, Butterfly, Fig, Tun, Melon and Prepuce mollusc shells. After Albertus Seba, engraved by John Pass.

Black Coral of India (Isis hippuris).After Albertus Seba, engraved by John Pass.

Pangolin (Manis): Short tailed and longtailed Pangolin (scaly anteater) with skeleton of a mammoth Pangolin. Engraved by John Pass.

Portraits: A prince, princess and Mandarin.

Locusts (Gryllus): G.bisasciatus, G bimaculatus, G granulatus, G leucostictos, G. griseus, G binotatus and Acheta. Engraved by John Pass.

Morels: Esculent Morel, Stinking Morel with Sea Canary Grass.

Warbler (Motacilla): Pinc Pinc grass warbler with nest.

SOLD. Dendera: Egyptian Planisphere from the ceiling of a shrine dedicated to the god Osiris in the temple of Hathor at Dendera. Renowned as the only complete map of an ancient sky.

Aecidium and Agaricus: Aecidium abietinum, elatinum, columnare, viola, and Agaricus scabellus, vitellum, tricolour, porphyria and lepidomyces. Engraved by John Pass.

Orte (Cyprinus): Orte and Gold Orte ornamental fish. After Marcus Bloch. Engraved by John Pass.

Nickel, Calamine, Bismuth, Antinomy, Arsenic, Regulus and Wolfram. Engraved by John Pass.

1. Fungus infundibuliformis a-c life cycle, 2.- 8 unnamed varieties 9. Puff mushroom.

Common stag and German stag.

Bullae (Pewit’s Egg or Dipper). 12 Dippers, Argus Cowry with 9 Cowries and a Weaver Shuttle. After Albertus Seba, engraved by John Pass.

Carissa Carandas (Christ’s Thorn): With 10 Species of Cantharis (Soldier Beetle).

Zebra (Equus): Male Zebra. Engraved by John Pass.

Cuttlefish: With eight specimens of Jelly fish. Crustaceans: Cristatus Crab, Paurus Crab and Common Lobster. Engraved by John Pass.

Volutes: Cones. The Cedo Null with Imperial Crowns with Admiral shells. After Albertus Seba, engraved by John Pass.

Whales (Physeter): Round Headed and Blunt headed Sperm whale (Cachelot). Engraved by John Pass.

Camel: Bactrian Camel. Engraved by John Chapman.

Volutes: 11 Mitres and 6 Papal Crowns. After Albertus Seba, engraved by John Pass.

Locusts (Gryllus): G. foliaceus, Acrydium, G bipunctatus, G fabulatus, G. opacus. Engraved by John Pass.

Portraits: Mamaluke cavalryman, infantry soldier and Bedouin Arab soldier.

Fly catcher (Musicapa): Crested Fly catcher with nest.

Lizards (Lacerta): Chameleon, Geeko and Salamander. Engraved by John Pass.

Gold from Hungary 1, 2, Dentrical silver 3,4,6, Varigated ore 5, Vitreous ore. Engraved by John Pass.

Fluor. Five examples of Fluor from the Poldice mine in Gwenaap. Engraved by John Pass.

Tin. Spathose Tin 1,2, Wood Tin from Cornwall 3-7. Tooth Tin 8-11, Saxon Tin 12, Garnet Tin 13,, 14, Tin in shorl 15, Crystalised Tin 16, 17. Engraved by John Pass.

Lizards (Lacerta): Monitor Lizard (Goanna) Broad tailed Lizard, Great and Common Water Newts with details of larvae. Engraved by John Pass.

Penguin (Aptenodytes): Patagonian Penguin and Magellanic Penguin. After George Edwards. Engraved by John Pass.

Lead. Native lead 1-6, 8, German lead 7, Saxon lead 9, Napolitan lead 10, 11, Lorraine lead 12, Engraved by John Pass.

Sweet and Bell peppers (Capsicum annuum and grossum. With 19 specimens of Carabus beetles.

Wrasse (Labrus): Red Wrasse and Green Wrasse. After Marcus Bloch. Engraved by John Pass.

Sea Turtles: Hawksbill 5 and Green Sea Turtle 6. with Yellow footed Tortoise 1, European Tortoise 2, Spotted Turtle 3, Painted Turtle 4. Engraved by John Pass.

An Omrah, a dancing girl and a lady of the Harem.

Pineapple: Sugarloaf pineapple with Brentus and bruchus insects. Engraved by John Pass.

Carp (Cyprinus): Telescopic and Sickle finned Carp. After Marcus Bloch. Engraved by John Pass

Buccina: Triton, Wry mouthed, Umbilicated, Plicated, Gullered, Whelks, Thorny Woodcock, Strombus and Pupura.