Humphreys, Henry Noel (DNB00)

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Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 28 Humphreys, Henry Noel by Warwick William Wroth

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HUMPHREYS, HENRY NOEL (1810-1879), artist, naturalist, and numismatist, born at Birmingham on 4 Jan. 1810, was the son of James Humphreys of that town. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham, and afterwards resided in Italy. He returned to England about 1840. Humphreys was a successful book-illustrator, especially of works of natural history, such as Westwood's 'British Butterflies.' He was also the author of some popular numismatic handbooks, useful in their day. He died at his house, 7 Westbourne Square, London, on 10 June 1879. The following are his principal productions:

1. Illustrations for Westwood's `British Butterflies,' 1841, 4to.
2. Illustrations for Loudon's `British Wild Flowers' [1856], 4to.
3. `Ocean Gardens,' London, 1857, 8vo.
4. `River Gardens,' London,1857,sq.8vo.
5. `The Butterfly Vivarium,' London, 1858, 8vo.
6. `The Genera and Species of British Butterflies,' London [1859], 8vo.
7. `The Genera of British Moths,' London [1860], 8vo.
8. `The Coins of England,' 1846, 8vo.
9. `The Coinage of the British Empire,' London, 1854, 4to.
10. `The Coin-Collector's Manual,' 2 vols (Bohn's Scientific Library), 1847, &c.
11. `Ancient Coins and Medals' (with facsimiles), London, 1850, 4to.
12. 'Illuminated Illustrations of Froissart,' 1844, &c., 4to.
13. `The Illuminated Books of the Middle Ages,' 1844-9, fol. (with Owen Jones).
14. `The Art of Illumination and Missal Painting,'1849,8vo.
15. `The Origin and Progress of Art of Writing,' 1853,4to.
16. `A History of the Art of Printing,' 1867, fol.
17. `Stories by an Archæologist,' 1856, 8vo.

[Obituary by J. O. Westwood in Academy for 21 June 1879, p.550; Times, 16 June 1879, p. 12, col. 4; Athenæum, 21 June 1879, p. 800; Brit. Mus. Cat.]

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