[Cardiff] 1928-32 Collection of Preparatory Sketches For Illuminated Presentations to Important South Wales Personalities. Attributed to J. Davy Dean of Llandaff.

Drawn in pencil with occasional watercolour, crayon and ink decoration/highlights, four contained within original hand drawn monogrammed brown card folders. The lot comprises:

1. A 6pp presentation to John Crighton-Stuart, Earl of Dumfries [1907-56, later 5th Marquess of Bute] on his 21st Birthday and coming of age. The interior features a roughly hand painted title page as well as seven small watercolour illustrations. The text details the benevolent work that the Bute's had undertaken over the years in improving the buildings of the City of Cardiff. Dated July 1928. Within original monogrammed folder ("JCS") and drawn in a Celtic style, and with a separate sheet showing an ink outline of the cover work. Approx. 205x285mm., simple raffia binding and various production annotations throughout.

2. A 2pp presentation to John Allcock [Cardiff City Treasurer & Controller] thanking him for his "Gift to the City of Cardiff of Valuable Freehold Property..". Dated December 10th 1928. Pencil illustrations. Approx. 310x230mm., good condition. 

3. A 2pp presentation to John Bradley Abraham, secretary of the "Coalfields Distress Funds", thanking him for his service. Pencil illustrations. Dated June 1929. Loosely inserted into original brown paper folder with monogrammed cover ("JBA"). Approx. 317x244mm., and in good order.

4. A 3pp. presentation to John Crighton-Stuart [1881-1947, 4th Marquess of Bute] and the Marchioness of Bute, on the occasion of their 25th Wedding Anniversary, dated July 21st 1930. Loosely inserted into original brown card folder with monogrammed cover ("S"). Approx. 202x288mm., and in good condition.

5. A 1pp presentation to Herbert Metford Thompson on the occasion of him becoming an Honorary Freeman of the City of Cadiff, dated April 14th 1930. Loosely drawn watercolour decoration with pencil text. Approx. 185x272mm., and in good condition.

6. A 5pp presentation to John Crighton-Stuart, Earl of Dumfries [1907-56, later 5th Marquess of Bute] on the occasion of his marriage (to Lady Eileen Beatrice Forbes, 1912-93), dated February 1932. Some loose watercolour armorial sketches and initial letters within text. Bound into original brown card folder (by silk ribbon), with decoratively drawn cover in a Celtic style. Approx. 205x288mm., and in good condition.

7. A small b&w photograph (140x105mm.) of a finished work, apparently by the same calligrapher/illuminator, noted as being "J. Davy Dean Llandaff". The presentation was to John Bradley Abraham for his work as Secretary of the Lord Mayor's Fund in the South Wales Coalfield.