UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

The plate bears the maker's rectangular stamp: 'HUGHES AND KIMBER / MANUFACTURERS / RED LION PASSAGE / FLEET STREET / LONDON'. It was close in size to several etchings including Nude Reclining [126], Wych Street, London [176], The Letter (Maud, seated) [116], Steamboat Fleet, Chelsea [155] and The Desk [129].

It is not known if Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958) inherited the copper plate from Whistler or if it was sold at the time of his bankruptcy and later retrieved by her from Robert Dunthorne (b. ca 1851). In any case, she asked Nathaniel Sparks (1880-1956) to try and print from the plate but it was, he recorded on 18 June 1931, 'Apparently greatly worne [sic] some burr remains.' 8 It was then cancelled with a diagonal line across the lower right corner. The plate was given by Miss Philip to the University of Glasgow in 1935.