Very rare set of three c.19th hand coloured lithographs of a kangaroo hunt by Samuel Thomas Gill (1818-1880) printed by Allen and Wigley, Sydney..
The only recorded sale of another set in the last 60 years was the F.G. Coles set with his bookplate, sold by Renard/Joel, July 1965, lot 547, this same set was subsequently sold as part of the Davidson Collection –Part III on 7/25/2007 Lot 527.
The first of the lithographs was announced in the press at the end of October 1858:
Mr. S.T. Gill, whose reputation in every branch of his art is now so thoroughly established, has cleverly drawn on stone a lithograph ‘No. 1, The Meet,’ repesenting a bush party preparing to go out kanagroo hunting in the interior of Australia. This picture, which is of a torerably large size, is carefully printed on good paper, by Messrs. Allan and Wigley, of this city. The rude wooden hut in the wilderness, slim dogs, and strong, swift horses, with the colonial Nimrods and their attendants, for altogether a very pleasing and lively group.
It was announced that the whole series would be available in January of the following year. (S, Grishin, S.T. Gill & his audiences.)
In the first print titled; The Meet, shows Gill walking through a gate to his horse with a large dog on his left, and holding a bottle in his left hand. The rest of the party of men are outside a rustic colonial homestead with their horses and dogs. One of them has the conspicuous trappings of a wealthy squatter, tall, commanding, elaborately styled in black riding boots, yellow waistcoat, and scarlet jacket.
In the second, The Chase, the squatter in the red jacket and white horse leaps over a fallen log. The reckless excitement of the hunt is obvious as the settlers gallop across the dangerous terrain, whips raised. The dogs are chasing a kangaroo, which is retreating into the distance.
The third print: The Death, Shows a squatter beside his exhausted hounds as a hunter readies his knife to take the dead kangaroo’s tail. Gill on the bay lifts his hat in greeting to a group of approaching Aborigines.
