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 piracy for the not unsubstantial sum of £100 by Charles Roworth author of Art of Defence with the Broad Sword.

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 most accomplished 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 brutal death in 1832 at the hands of the young printer James Cook, the last man in England to be exhibited in a gibbet.

The Encyclopaedia londinensisis provides an eloquent visual presentation of the history and most recent developments in the Arts and Sciences, 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.

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.

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

Coral: Gorgonia Ceratophyta (Sea Wip Coral) and Gorgonia Nobilis (Precious Coral): With magnified parts of branches.

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

Coral: Gorgonia Antipathes (Black Coral) and Gorgonia Muricata (Staghorn Coral).

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.

Coluber (Viper): Summer loving, Pethola and Painted vipers. After Albertus Seba, engraved by John Pass.

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

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

Camel: Bactrian Camel. Engraved by John Chapman.

Helminthology: Zoophytes. Spongia ossiformis (7) and Tubularia magnifica (8) with other corals.

Crab: Soldier Crab, Hermit Crab and Land Crab.

Aecidium and Agaricus: Aecidium abietinum, elatinum, columnare, viola, and Agaricus scabellus, vitellum, tricolour, porphyria and lepidomyces. 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Egyptian Jerboa: With a Spectacle (stalked eye) Fly and Pyramids in the background.

Helminthology: Testaceous. Cardium echinata (1-3) and Buccium udatum (11) with other univalves and bivalves.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indian elephant.Engraved by John Pass.

Common stag and German stag.

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

Warbler (Motacilla): African Warbler with nest.

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