Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller

Illustrations of Popular Works, by George Cruishank: Part I (and only) [WITH SIX ETCHED PLATES]

Cruishank, George (Illustrations by)

London: For the artist, by Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, 1830. First edition. Hardcover. Folio (13 1/2 x 9 3/4"). [28]pp. Original printed wrappers with black lettering to both covers. Book held by a string attached to a modern green cloth portfolio, with gold lettering to front cover. Dedication page to His Royal Highness Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex.

As indicated in the Advertisement printed on back cover, "It is proposed to publish a part every three or four months: and as each number will contain illustrations of the productions of various authors, appropriate title pages will be given upon the completion of the designs relating to each separate work," but in the end this was the only volume produced.

For this volume, Cruikshank chose six etchings from the works of four authors he had previously illustrated: "Roderick Random" by Smollett, "The Vicar of Wakefield" by Goldsmith, Robert Burns' poems, and "A History of New York" by Washington Irving.

Each etched plate is tissue-guarded and faces a page of letterpress description of the same either extracts from the author or written for the occasion. Large paper. India proof copy (Cohn, No. 175; Douglas, No. 117)

Previous onwer's armorial bookplate on inside of portfolio's front cover (John Barton Townsend). Wrappers darkened, slightly rubbed, with minor and sporadic closed tears. Portfolio in overall good+, wrappers in good, interior in very good condition. g to vg. Item #45640

Price: $500.00