William Humphrey

William Humphrey (1740?–1810?) was an English engraver and printseller.

Life Born about 1740, Humphrey began life as an engraver and published from the Shell Warehouse, St Martin's lane between 1764 and 1774. In 1765 he obtained a premium from the Society of Arts for a mezzotint engraving of a self-portrait of Rembrandt.

Later in life Humphrey concentrated on printselling. He made journeys to Holland and elsewhere on the continent and had a penchant for collecting English portraits. He became the chief agent for the major private collections of portraits made about this time. At one time he took Charles Howard Hodges, the engraver, to Amsterdam, where Hodges established himself.

Humphrey was residing at 227 Strand in 1785. This was also the first address of his sister Hannah's shop where she sold James Gillray's prints before moving to Bond Street. He died probably about 1810 in a particular state of debt. Humphrey's output also included mezzotint portraits (he reissued a number of plates originally published by John Raphael Smith) as well as mezzotint drolls.