Original parts - 36 hand-colored aquatints by the Cruikshanks
Life in London; or, the day and night scenes of Jerry Hawthorn, Esq. and his elegant friend Corinthian Tom, accompanied by Bob Logic, the Oxonian, in their rambles and sprees through the metropolis. Dedicated to His Most Gracious Majesty King George the Fourth. Embellished with thirty-six scenes from real life. designed and etched by I. R. & G. Cruikshank; and enriched also with numerous original Designs on Wood, by the same artists
London: Sherwood, Neely, and Jones, Paternoster-Row, 1821. First edition in the original 12 parts, 36 hand-colored aquatints designed and etched by George and I. R. Cruikshank, 17 engraved vignette illustrations in the text, and 3 engraved folding plates of music; without the "To the Subscribers" leaf ("of considerable rarity ... extremely difficult to find" - Abbey); part I in second state, and lacking the 4-page prospectus in part IV, and the leaf of ads at the end of part V; otherwise complete throughout; original printed buff (or faded salmon pink) wrappers; occasional small chips and tears at the extremities; a very good set with discreet small restorations; full red crushed levant pull-off box by Wood in London, elaborate gilt decorated spine; top of box darkened. Bookplates of William Hartmann Woodin; and Robert H. and Donna L. Jackson. No I: Footnote does appear on p. 9 (hence, second state). Slip note not present. “Hughson’s London Guide” is on the inside, not the back, of the rear wrapper. No. IV: The prospectus for “Myer’s Modern Geography” is not present. No. V: The 2-page advertisement for “A Periodical Essay entitled London” is not present. No. XII: The name of the printer (Marchant), on the back of the half title in this copy, is closer to the lower left-hand corner than the center of the page, though not markedly so. A classic text in English literature which gave rise to numerous sequels, parodies, and imitations, featuring the high- and low-life exploits of Tom and Jerry. Abbey, Life, 281; Tooley, p. 106; Cohn, 262. Item #66679
Price: $3,500.00


