What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore the sale of Joseph Gulston's massive collection of prints and its implications for the British print market in the late 1700s.

May 16, 2026

Joseph Gulston and the sale of his collection of prints

Key Points

To explore the sale of Joseph Gulston's massive collection of prints and its implications for the British print market in the late 1700s.
Analyzed the auction sale of Gulston's collection
Examined the contents of the collection
Investigated the profiles of purchasers
Gulston's collection comprised over 60,000 prints, showcasing the scale of print collecting in London.
The auction highlighted significant trends in the British print market during the late eighteenth century.
Insights into the economic struggles faced by collectors like Gulston were revealed.

Abstract

Abstract Joseph Gulston (1745–1786) was one of the most important collectors of prints in eighteenth-century London. During his brief lifetime, he built a massive collection of over 60,000 pieces. His mania for prints, despite his great inherited wealth, pushed him near to bankruptcy, forcing Gulston to sell his collection at auction. This article discusses the sale and, through elaborating on the contents of the collection and the purchasers, provides an overview of the scale not only of the Gulston collection but also of the British print market in the late eighteenth century.

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Cite This Study

William Noblett (Mon,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a080b27a487c87a6a40d416 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/jhc/fhag001

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