C.T. Brock & Co.'s Crystal Palace Fireworks: gouache paintings

A collection of 32 gouache paintings on white paper, all with deep blue or black painted background color, depicting various fireworks set pieces and aerial displays; most include the figure of an operator with a lighter. About half are variously lettered or numbered on the back, but none are otherwise identified, though this presumably constitutes a catalog of effects available from C.T. Brock & Co. A collection of 32 gouache paintings on white paper, all with deep blue or black painted background color, depicting various fireworks set pieces and aerial displays; most include the figure of an operator with a lighter. About half are variously lettered or numbered on the back, but none are otherwise identified, though this presumably constitutes a catalog of effects available from C.T. Brock & Co. Title from album front cover. All paintings are unsigned; the artist is identified as Phil George in A. St. H. Brock's A history of fireworks (1949), in which 5 of the paintings (nos. 7, 8, 22, 26, and 29) are reproduced in color plates facing p. 120, 121, and 209 (nos. 7, 8, and 22 having been reproduced in black and white in Brock's Pyrotechny, 1927). Of the 32, 27 measure ca. 50 x 36 cm., and 5 measure ca. 73 x 38 cm. (folded to 37 x 38 cm.). Those of the smaller size are on the same stock of handmade cartridge paper, about half with "J. Whatman" watermark, which in 7 sheets includes a date, either 1888 or 1889, the date in the others having been trimmed away. Of the folded sheets, 1 (no. 21, clearly by the same artist) seems to be of the same paper; 3 (nos. 30-32) are on similar but slightly smoother paper (without watermarks) and 1 (no. 20) is on much smoother, possibly machine-made paper, these 4 possibly the work of some other artist and bearing the numbers 1-4 on their versos. For further details see the "Supplemental description of individual paintings" shelved with the paintings. At time of acquisition, laid loose in blind-stamped leather album with "C.T. Brock & Co.'s Crystal Palace Fireworks" in gold on front cover, the album sewn into a burgundy polished sheep chemise, lettered in gold on the front "C.T.B. & Co." Printed label on front pastedown, "Bradstock & Caslake, printers and account book manufacturers, 80, Lower Thames Street, London, E.C." (the firm was at that address from 1883 to past the turn of the century). Paintings now removed and placed in individual folders in clamshell case, with the original album. From the Chris Philip Firework Collection, without his bookplate.