XXVII. An Account of some Specimens of the Works of Maso Finiguerra, the Inventor of the Art of taking Impressions on Paper from Engraved Plates of Metal: by Hugh W. Diamond, Esq. F.S.A., in a Letter to Sir Henry Ellis, K.H., F.R.S., Secretary

Extract

By the liberality of my friends, Messrs. Smith, of Lisle Street, I have the pleasure of exhibiting to the Society of Antiquaries the accompanying Specimens of the works of that most interesting artist Maso Finiguerra, who was undoubtedly the inventor of the art of taking Impressions on Paper from engraved plates of Metal; and I am also entirely indebted to their kindness for being enabled to give you the following short statement respecting them, for I am certain that every one connected with the Society will feel an interest in these fine specimens of the early art of Engraving. But, in the first instance, I trust that I may be excused in requesting that every care may be used in handling them, and that they may not be removed from the cases. At the sale of Sir Mark Sykes, in 1824, these now exhibited alone fetched a sum exceeding eight hundred pounds; and as all objects of Art have greatly increased, and in many instances doubled their value since that time, these must be deemed of very great price, and deserving the utmost care.