Two antique engravings featuring the portrait of Martin Folkes (1690-1754) , English antiquary and astronomer  - see below. 

One is based on the Hogarth portrait and probably dates from the mid-1800's - the other has been trimmed from a larger page published in the Universal Magazine circa 1790 and expertly laid down on stronger paper.

Good condition - mild age toning to the edges - crease to the corner of one - see scans. These are genuine antique engravings and not reproductions. Image size approx. 3 x 5 inches. See more of these historic portraits in Seller's Other Items

Martin Folkes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Martin Folkes PRS (29 October 1690 – 28 June 1754), English antiquarynumismatist mathematician, and astronomer.


Life[edit]

Folkes was born in Westminster on 29 October 1690, the eldest son of Martin Folkes, councillor at Law.[1] Educated at Clare College, Cambridge,[2] he so distinguished himself in mathematics that when only twenty-three years of age he was chosen a fellow of the Royal Society. He was elected one of the council in 1716, and in 1723 Sir Isaac Newton, president of the society, appointed him one of the vice-presidents. On the death of Newton he became a candidate for the presidency, but was defeated by Sir Hans Sloane, whom, however, he succeeded in 1741; in 1742 he was made a member of the French Academy; in 1746 he received honorary degrees from Oxford and Cambridge.