Letter handwritten and signed by Abraham Cooper, R.A. (1787-1868).
United Kingdom: Not published, 1832. First Edition. Unbound. Very good+ condition. Item #004264
Painter of Horses. Stampless cover, dated April 19th 1832; one page letter to Henry Graves (1806-1892, leading London printseller) saying that he has "tried to procure you a ticket for Private View at the RA without success" but he may see many more members "on the varnishing days", suggesting Sir Edwin Landseer (1802-1873), "he being on the Council has 4. I have but 2 tickets", ending "Yrs truly in haste". One-side 8vo leaf, with conjugate address leaf, postmarked Lamb's Conduit Street. Corner of address stuck under seal. Cooper was groom to Sir Henry Meux, and in 1809, unable to afford a portrait of the horse "Frolic" to which he was greatly attached, bought an introduction to painting in oils. His master bought the resulting canvas and Cooper never looked back. Henry Graves was at that time in partnership with F.G. Moon and Thomas Boys. He engraved all the most famous pictures of his day, paying Landseer a total of (pounds sterling) 50,000 for copyrights alone, and 20,000 to the owner of Frith's "A Railway Station" for the painting, the engraved plate and the list of subscribers.
Price: $325.00