19th Century Convex Paperweight

Offered for sale is a 19th Century converse paperweight containing a print of an angler on his way for a days sport, it is signed Howitt 1799. This is believed to be Samuel Howitt (1756-1822), an accomplished British sporting artist. The subjects of his drawings ranged from well-known activities (e.g. horse racing) to the obscure (heron hawking). Originally an amateur artist, Howitt turned professional as a means to supplement his income as a drawing master at a private academy in Ealing. Howitt was married to the sister of the caricaturist Thomas Rowlandson, best known for his Doctor Syntax illustrations. Howitt worked in both oils and watercolors, primarily on themes relating to sports and natural History.