Part 33 (1/2)

BARNABY RUDGE'S PORTRAIT GALLERY.--During the serial issue of ”Barnaby Rudge,” Mr. W. Britain, 11 Paternoster Row, advertised on one of the weekly wrappers (August 28, 1841) a series of twenty ”splendid engravings” by this artist, price twopence, but I have never seen them.

THOMAS SIBSON.

”SIBSON'S RACY SKETCHES OF EXPEDITIONS, FROM THE PICKWICK CLUB.”--Ten etchings, with letterpress, demy 8vo, green ill.u.s.trated wrappers, price 2s. 6d. London: Sherwood, Gilbert & Piper, 1838. The design on the wrapper depicts d.i.c.kens standing on Mr. Pickwick's head, holding aloft an enormous quill pen, the pseudonym ”Boz” appearing on his coat-sleeves.” The above t.i.tle is printed on the wrapper, but on the t.i.tle-page it runs thus: ”Sketches of Expeditions, from the Pickwick Club.” The Preface reads as follows: ”Originally the Pickwick Club appeared with four Ill.u.s.trations: but since Death chilled the life-depicting hand of poor Seymour, two Embellishments have disappeared, while eight pages of letterpress have been added. These papers, thus arranged, bursting as they do with incident, and intoxicated as they are with wit, must have come before the public without Ill.u.s.trations for many of their most striking scenes. Reader, were it not so, these Sketches had never seen the light of your eyes. The artist's hope is (may you find it not a vain one) that these humble efforts may afford some of the pleasure he enjoyed when imagining them.--11 Buckingham St., Portland Place, London. January 1st, 1838.” A copy of this scarce work realised 18 at Sotheby's in 1895.

”ILl.u.s.tRATIONS OF MASTER HUMPHREY'S CLOCK.”--Seventy-two etchings, issued during the publication of this work, 1840-41. Eighteen parts, each containing four plates, some with _remarques_. Impl. 8vo, green wrappers, price one s.h.i.+lling each part. Afterwards issued in two volumes.

London: Robert Tyas, Paternoster Row, 1842. Only seventy plates are mentioned on the t.i.tle-page and in the index. On some of the wrappers is a vignette of a clock, and on others we find a representation of Master Humphrey sitting on a chair. These plates are exceedingly scarce in the original parts as issued, sets having been catalogued at twenty-five guineas. Copies of some of the Sibson designs were etched by J. Yeager for contemporary publication in a Philadelphia edition of ”Barnaby Rudge,” together with similar _replicas_ of a few of ”Phiz's” woodcuts which appeared in the authorised English edition.

F. STONE, A.R.A.

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY.--”Three Portraits of Kate Nickleby, 'Tilda Price, and Madeline Bray, from original paintings by Frank Stone, engraved [on steel] by Edward Finden, and published with the approbation of Mr. Charles d.i.c.kens.” For the first Cheap Edition of ”Nicholas Nickleby.” Crown 8vo, green wrappers, price one s.h.i.+lling. Proofs on india-paper, 4to, one s.h.i.+lling each portrait. London: Chapman & Hall, 186 Strand, 1848. The engraved t.i.tles are as follow: ”Kate Nickleby sitting for her Portrait,” ”'Tilda Price dressing for the Tea Party,” and ”Madeline Bray pausing in her Work.”

(_See pp. 178-9_).

”STYLUS.”

”THE d.i.c.kENS AQUARELLES. FIRST SERIES.”--”Twelve Original Character Ill.u.s.trations of the Pickwick Papers.” Portfolio, ill.u.s.trated boards. New York. J. W. Bouton, 1152 and 706 Broadway, 1888.

”THE d.i.c.kENS AQUARELLES. SECOND SERIES.”--”Twelve Original Character Ill.u.s.trations of 'The Old Curiosity Shop.'”

Portfolio, ill.u.s.trated boards. Same publisher and date.

These inferior drawings are crudely coloured by hand, the name of each Character being written in the margin.

WELD TAYLOR.

NICHOLAS NICKLEBY.--”The Baron von Grogzwig.” Lithograph, Impl. 8vo. ”Sketches by Weld Taylor, No. 1.” London: J.

Mitch.e.l.l, 33 Old Bond Street, N.D. In 1838 Weld Taylor reproduced by lithography the beautiful portrait of ”Boz” by S. Laurence.

C. H. WALL.

MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT.--Four woodcuts, 8vo, green ill.u.s.trated wrapper, price sixpence. London: Hexall & Wall, 113 Strand.

NELSON P. WHITLOCK.

d.i.c.kENS ILl.u.s.tRATIONS.--”Twenty-four Original Sketches from the Writings of Charles d.i.c.kens.” 4to. No publisher's imprint, N.D.

T. C. W.

”ILl.u.s.tRATIONS TO MASTER HUMPHREY'S CLOCK.”--Four lithographs, ill.u.s.trating the first portion of the story.

Impl. 8vo. No publisher's imprint, N.D. Issued without a wrapper. Only two of these plates are signed (T. C. W.), and under each appears a descriptive quotation.

W. C. W.

PICKWICK.--Twelve woodcut portraits of ”Pickwick”

characters, first published in ”Sam Weller's Jest Book,”

issued in penny numbers, and afterwards in Nos. 48, 51, 52 of a weekly paper called _The Casket_ (Dec. 2, 23, 30, 1837) in twopenny numbers. London: Berger & Co., Holywell Street, and Piggott & Co., Fleet Street, 1837.