About Us !

Dear Collector,

I am delighted to welcome you to my web site. As you will see, I am now fully retired ! Never the less, please feel free to browse around to your hearts content, and let me know if you want anything - I am always open to offers ! e-mail me on boydellgalleries@blueyonder.co.uk .

My name is Paul Breen, and I have been a dedicated collector & dealer in old Watercolours, Maps & Prints, with over 30 years experience in the business. I am also a dyed in the wool Liverpudlian & Lancastrian.

The Boydell Gallery was established in 1851 by one of the descendants of John Boydell, who was a well known figure in the art business in London in the 18th century (see below for his biography). For 148 years there was a gallery in the Liverpool city centre dealing in fine Watercolours and Oil paintings, Maps & Prints, and it is only in early 1999 when the lease expired and I reached the ripe old age of 60, that I decided to close the gallery and deal solely on the internet and at selected Antique Fairs in the UK. I also wanted to get my golf handicap down, and shop hours kept interfering with that !! Then, following a spot of open heart surgery, I decided that I really should call it a day !

I still have limited stocks of :

Watercolours of the early English School. These are really from my own collection, & are here for interest. However, as a collector, I am always looking to improve my collection, and as this usually costs money, I could be tempted !

Antique maps : We used to carry a lot of early maps. All are now sold, but I have kept a web page for some of John Speed's fine English County Maps.

Antique Prints : Now, I have only a few US & Canada items left on the website. However, I do have a few very choice items duplicated in my own collection which I might sell, so if you are looking for anything special in antique Liverpool, let me know. I may be able to help you.

Liverpool items : See above for special Liverpool items, but my main stock now comprises a range of limited edition and open edition prints which are exclusive to us. These were either produced from watercolours in our stock (Sam Brown and C.W.Clennell) or commissioned from a wonderful marine artist, Gordon Ellis, whose work depicts the River Mersey at its best.

Brian Gordon : Now for something entirely different ! Brian is an artist of the "Naive School" whose work is full of humour. We held a number of exhibitions of his oils, and because it takes him so long to complete one oil, we published a series of prints to spread his ability to a wider audience. Take a look at his images.

I hope you enjoy your visit, and don't forget to BOOKMARK MY HOME PAGE

John Boydell 1719-1804. Boydell was a draughtsman, line engraver, publisher and print seller, who was born at Stanton in Shropshire and began his career as an engraver of landscapes & topographical views when apprenticed to W.H.Toms. In 1767 he abandoned printmaking for the more lucrative business as a print merchant, and began publishing prints by other engravers. He produced an enormous quantity of prints, and would both employ engravers or painters to work for him, as well as purchasing old plates and re-printing them,. He bought William Hogarth's original plates from Ann Hogarth's cousin Mary Lewis and republished them in 1790 and 1795.

Boydell had a tremendous influence on the English print trade, greatly encouraging the art of engraving in this country. He effectively changed the English print trade from an inport one to an export one, and in so doing, made a considerable fortune for himself. In 1782 he was elected alderman of Cheap Ward, London, in 1785 elected Sheriff, and in 1790 was made Lord Mayor of London. An ambitious project to illustrate Shakespeare's plays was a flop when published in 1803, partly because of the war with France which prevented exports and partly because many of the plates were so dull. (see Ian Mackenzie, "British Prints" published by Antique Collectors Club, and "British Mezzotinto Portraits" by Chaloner-Smith, page 538)