Thomas Rowlandson
Books & Prints

1. Rowlandson, Thomas.
Characteristic Sketches Of The Lower Orders, Intended As A Companion To The New Picture Of London.
London: Printed by Samuel Leigh , 1820. First editions. 14 1/2 x 8.5 cm. iv pages including title and advertisement. Fifty-four hand-colored plates by Rowlandson: a panoply of city life, the costumes of street vendors through Rowlandson's colorful, often affectionate delineation's of human character. The plates are related to Rowlandson's "Cries of London series of 1799. TOOLEY 424. Clean, fresh copy bound by Riviere & Son, raised bands, spine panels richly gilt in floral motifs, triple gilt border panels, inner dentelles, dark green endpapers. Later full red crushed morocco. Aeg. Fine. $2,250.00

2. _____.
Masquerading.
London: Np, Nd. Plate size 23 x 32 cm. Etching with hand-colouring. Later impression, numbered 84 upper right. Lower right corner reads "Price One Shilling Colored." Sign: "Horns To Sell," and book held by lady in blue dress: "Magi." Colors are fresh and bright. Slight fraying to left margin. Near fine. $350.00

3. _____. (Illustrator).
An Academy For Grown Horsemen; Containing The Completest Instructions for Walking, Trotting, Cantering, Galloping, Stumbling, And Tumbling. The Annals Of Horsemanship: etc...by Geoffrey Gambado, pseudonym for (William Henry Bunbury).
London: Vernor, Hood, And Sharpe; Longman, Hurst, Rees, And Orme; J. Walker; And J. Harris, 1809. 140 pages. 22.5 x 14.5 cm. Twenty-nine hand colored engravings by Thomas Rowlandson. Not in ABBEY LIFE or TOOLEY. Originally published, London, 1788 with Bunbury's illustrations. He was a contemporary of Gillray and Rowlandson, "a designer of humorous subjects and caricatures.....he obtained the praise of Sir Joshua Reynolds." [see: BRYAN, Vol.I, p.209]. Also listed in the MELLON COLLECTION. Bookplate of Woods Price, marbled endpaper, offsetting of plates to text, otherwise generally clean in very solid binding. Three quarter black morocco, dark purple cloth. Near fine. $550.00

4. _____. (Illustrator).
Journal Of Sentimental Travels In The Southern Provinces Of France, Shortly Before The Revolution by William Combe.
London: R. Ackermann, 1821. First edition. 291 pages. 25 1/2 x 17 cm. 18 hand-colored aquatint plates. This, the first separate edition, appearing originally in Ackermann's "Repository of Arts" during the years 1817-1820; the latter containing seventeen plates only -- the extra plate, no.15 is listed in the Directions to the Binder, and as ABBEY LIFE pp.185 -186 notes, "Early impressions of the plates are clear and sharp, and compare well with the magazine issue," as are those in this copy. ABBEY TRAVEL 89. TOOLEY 415. Tall copy, plates generally clean and bright, some plate offsetting; light, occasional age-toning, bookplate, raised bands. Late 19th century three-quarter scarlet morocco and scarlet cloth with marbled endpapers. Teg. Near fine. $950.00

5. _____. (Illustrator).
Poetical Sketches of Scarborough Illustrated by Twenty-One Engravings of Humourous Subjects, Coloured From Original Designs.
London: R. Ackermann, 1813. First edition. 215 pages. 23 x 15 cm. Twenty-one hand colored aquatint plates by Thomas Rowlandson after J. Green. This is the first edition as noted following with the title leaf and advertising leaf making one fold of two leaves. ABBEY SCENERY 297. "There was evidently a large demand for the book, for the plates in the reprint [2nd edition] show considerable signs of wear:.." TOOLEY 422. "Plate 8 The Warm Bath is said to contain the portrait of Mrs. Robinson, George IV's mistress." Lovely copy bound by Root & Son. Covers with triple gilt border panels that house gilt floral motifs at corners, raised band, spine panels richly gilt, green and red leather spine labels lettered in gilt, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, plates exceptionally bright and clean, offsetting to tissue guards opposite plates, armorial bookplate, early bookseller description at front cover paste-down, small chip backstrip head. Full brown calf, front cover rehinged. Teg. Near fine. $550.00

6. _____. (Illustrator).
Poetical Sketches of Scarborough Illustrated by Twenty-One Engravings of Humourous Subjects, Coloured From Original Designs.
London: R. Ackermann, 1813. First edition. 215 pages. 23 x 15 cm. Twenty-one hand colored aquatint plates by Thomas Rowlandson after J. Green. This is the first edition as noted following with the title leaf and advertising leaf making one fold of two leaves. ABBEY SCENERY 297. "There was evidently a large demand for the book, for the plates in the reprint [2nd edition] show considerable signs of wear:.." TOOLEY 422. "Plate 8 The Warm Bath is said to contain the portrait of Mrs. Robinson, George IV's mistress." Lovely copy bound by Morrell. Covers with triple gilt border panels, raised bands, spine panels richly gilt, spine lettered in gilt, inner dentelles, plates bright and clean, offsetting of plates to text. Full crushed red morocco. Fine in red cloth chemise housed in matching fine half crushed morocco and red cloth slipcase. $700.00

7. _____. (Illustrator).
The Second Tour of Doctor Syntax, In Search of The Picturesque; A Poem & The Second Tour, In Search of Consolation; A Poem.
London: R. Ackermann, (1813) & 1820. Third edition and Second Edition respectively. 276, 277 pages. 23 x 15 cm. 30 and 24 colored plates respectively designed and etched by Rowlandson. "Picturesque," first appeared originally in the POETICAL MAGAZINE under the title, "The Schoolmaster's Tour," text is by William Combe. Second state of plate 15 (Skiminngton Riders). "Consolation," appeared originally in eight monthly parts, text by William Combe. TOOLEY 427, 428. Bookplates, some plate offsetting, age toning mostly marginal, elegant binding: gilt paneled polished speckled brown calf with inlaid tan calf center cover panels within triple gilt fillet border panels, gilt paneled spine, dark brown morocco spine labels, inner gilt dentelles. 19th century full calf rehinged. Aeg. Near fine. 2 vols. $795.00

8. _____. [Illustrator].
Advice To Sportsmen. Rural or Metropolitan, Noviciates Or Grown Persons; With Anecdotes Of The Most Renowned Shots Of The Day: Exemplified from Life. Including Recommendatory Hints In The Choice Of Guns, Dogs, And Sporting Paraphernalia: Also, Characters, Costumes And Correspondence Selected from the Original Notes, &c, of Marmaduke Markwell, Esq.
London: Thomas Tegg, 1809. First edition. 132 pages. 17 x 10.5 cm. Half title, frontispiece and 15 hand-colored plates after Rowlandson. Early, scarce work of Rowlandson. TOOLEY 407. Armorial bookplate, inner dentelles, chipping front endpaper fore-edge, plates clean, text generally bright, raised bands, spine panels richly gilt, triple gilt border fillets, front cover hinge repaired, moderate surface wear. Period full brown calf. Teg. Very good.$750.00

9. _____. [Illustrator].
Petticoat Loose: A Fragmentary "Tale Of the Castle" by Peter Pindar [John Wolcot].
London: J.J. Stockdale, 1812. First edition. 135 pages. 28 x 22 cm. Four engraved hand-colored plates by Rowlandson. John Wolcot was blind by the year 1812, the letter perhaps dictated. "When blindness overtook him, he displayed a stoical good humour which makes us regret that a musical, artistic man, of a `kind and hearty disposition,' played so scurvy a literary role. This work is a prose poem, CHEL. Vol. 11, pp.37-38. Notes, "Pindar's strength lies in his power of realising for his reader a comic situation; polished epigram .....He loves to slip one of two sly colloquialisms into verses written in the formal eighteenth century style, and, thus bring out the broad fun of his conceptions." Pindar satirized Dr. Johnson and Boswell as well as George III. Robert Burns received a copy of Pindar's works from George Thomson, and held him in esteem. Not in TOOLEY.Text generally clean, plates bright with offsetting to text. Orig. tan wrappers with front cover paper label bound-in. Four pages of adverts at rear and at wrapper back cover. A few early scribbles on front cover wrapper. Early dark salmon cloth and navy morocco spine lettered in gilt. Teg. Very good. $1,900.00

10. Rowlandson, Thomas [Illustrator].
The Relicks Of A Saint. A right merry Tale by Ferdinand Farquhar, Esq.
London: Thomas Tegg, 1816. First edition. 135 pages. 18 x 10.5 cm. Hand-colored aquatint frontispiece by Rowlandson. Half-title, front cover detached, spin abraded, text generally clean. Orig. drab boards. Good in fine red cloth chemise housed in fine quarter red morocco and matching cloth slipcase. $290.00




11. Rowlandson, Thomas & William Combe.
The History Of Johnny Quae Genus The Little Foundling Of The Late Doctor Syntax: A Poem, By The Author Of The Three Tours.
London: R. Ackermann, 1822. First edition. 267 pages. 24 x 14 cm. Twenty-four full-page plates, colored aquatints by Rowlandson. This is the last of the genuine, or "authorized" Syntax books. Originally issued in eight monthly parts. Bound by Zaehnsdorf. Directions to the Binder for the placing of the Plates. ABBEY LIFE 268. TOOLEY 413. Exceptionally clean copy, raised bands, triple gilt cover border fillets, inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, bookplate, slight nick front cover fore-edge. Full maroon crushed morocco. Aeg. Near fine. $450.00

12. Rowlandson, Thomas.
The Amorous Illustrations of Thomas Rowlandson.
New York: Cythera Press, 1969. First edition. 39 pages in text. 31 x 24 cm. Introduction by Gert Schiff. 50 color plates. The erotic drawings, some of which were done for the Prince Regent bears witness to Rowlandson's temperament and the temper of the times. Orig. red cloth. Fine in very good dust wrapper. $50.00

13. _____.
Broad Grins or a Black Joke.
London: Thomas Tegg, June 4th 1812. 41 x 27 cm. Hand colored etching. A woman in an advanced stage of pregnancy stands, laughing, alongside an elderly parson, who recoils in angry horror. A high garden wall is behind them, with a sign that reads, "Man Traps laid in these Grounds," and a hole in the wall, where a black servant looks through. Slight fraying at left margin. Colors very bright. Near fine. Wraps.$375.00

14. _____.
The Carter and the Gipsies.
London: Tho. Tegg, May 10, 1815. 25.5 x 35 cm.(imprint area). 50 x 34 cm. including border. Black and white engraving sharp, bright and clean. Mark at head of border appears to be remnant of a stamp. Thick laid paper. Near fine. Wraps. $100.00

15. _____.
A Catalogue of Books illustrated by Thomas Rowlandson Exhibited at The Grolier Club November second to November twenty-third.
New York: Grolier Club, 1916. First edition. 109 pages. 17.5 x 11 cm. Printed at the De Vinne Press. Alphabetical List of Books Exhibited. Last few leaves with modest dampstains, minor extremity nicks. Orig. buff wrappers, front cover watermark. Very good in fine cloth folding case with brown morocco spine label printed in gilt. $100.00

16. _____.
The Devonshire, or Most Approved Method of Securing Votes.
London: W. Humphrey, ca 1825. 30.5 x 47.5 cm. Hand colored etching. L.E,C. 1828 watermark. Later state. The Duchess of Devonshire (right), in profile to the left, kisses a fat butcher, putting her arms round his shoulders. She wears a hat trimmed with feathers and ribbons. A plump woman approaches the butcher from the left holding out her arms and shouting "Huzza - Fox for Ever". Her dress, with uncovered breast, suggests that she is a courtesan. [Grego suggests that she may be the Duchess of Gordon), but the duchess, like Mrs. Hobart (also plump), was opposed to Fox. Anti-Fox newspaper paragraphs did their best to suggest that the ladies who canvassed for Fox were of bad character. Wide margins. Near fine. Wraps.$495.00

17. _____.
The Last Jig or Adieu To Old England.
London: James J. Adelphi, 1818. 25.5 x 35 cm.(imprint area). 50 x 33 cm. including border. Black and white engraving sharp, bright and clean. The date can be seen above upside down bench at lower right corner, and Rowlandson's name barely visible save for first three letters of his name directly below the date previously mentioned. Dampstain at upper left corner not affecting imprint area. Thick laid paper. Near fine. Wraps. $100.00

18. _____.
Nap in the Country & Nap in Town.
London: S. Alken, 1785. 35 x 25 cm.(imprint area). 37 x 27 cm. including border. Black and white engraving, dampstain above lower maiden's head extending to the head of Nap in Town. A fairly early and tame Rowlandson completed at twenty-nine years of age. Thick laid paper. Very good. Wraps. $100.00

19. _____.
A Peep at The Gas Lights in Pall-Mall.
London: Thomas Tegg, ca 1810. 27 x 40.5, Hand colored etching, Rowlandson after George Woodward. A German named Winsor raised 50,000 pounds to brighten Pall Mall in a speculation that failed. A view of the pavement of Pall Mall seen from the cobbled roadway; it recedes slightly from left to right and is backed by part of the screen and façade of Carlton House, with part of the adjacent house on the extreme left on which is a door-plate inscribed Sherry [Sheridan]. On the pavement are three of the new gas-lamps; a tall post with three globes, one at the summit, flanked by two others on slender curving branches. In each globe is a triple flame. A fashionably dressed young man (left), points with his riding-whip, instructing the lady who holds his arm: The Coals being steam'd produces tar or paint for outside of Housesthe Smoke passing thro' water is deprived of substance and burns as you see. A fat Irishman turns to say to the speaker: Arrah honey if this man [Winsor] bring fire thro water we shall soon have the Thames and the Liffey burnt downand all the pretty little Herrings & Whales burnt to cinders. A fat countryman (right) gazes up, saying, Wauns what a main pretty light it be. we have nothing like it in our Country. A lank Quaker on tiptoe, standing beside him, says: Aye Friend but it is all Vanity, what is this to the inward light. On the extreme right a flamboyant courtesan with her bare arms in a muff says to a buck who inspects her through his glass: If this light is not put a stop toowe must give up our business We may as well shut up shop. The man answers: True my dear not a dark corner to be got for love or money. Plate numbered 173. 23 December 1809? Pinhole left margin. Edge nicks repaired on verso. Near fine. Wraps. $500.00

20. _____.
Pot Fair Cambridge & The College Gate.
London: H. Bunbury, Nd. 24.5 x 34 cm.(imprint area). 41.5 x 35 cm. including border. Black and white engraving, image portion clean with nicks to edges of the left greater border, and darkening to bottom right of greater border. Thick laid paper. Near fine. Wraps. $100.00

21. _____.
Revising For The Second Edition.
London: Elizabeth Jackson, 15 June 1786. 30.5 x 30.5. Hand colored etching. Rowlandson after Samuel Collings. A laird in Highland dress (left) seizes Boswell by the throat. The latter is seated at his writing-table, holding up his hands in supplication. His 'Journal' is open at pp. '168' and '169'. The laird, Sir Alexander Macdonald, points with his cane at p. 169; torn-out pages lie on the floor, one is '165', another '167'. On the wall of the bare, boarded room are (left) 'A Map of Skye' showing 'Armidale' and (right) 'View [of] Auchenleck, the Seat of' (name obscured by Boswell's cap). Boswell is dressed as in BMSat 7031, &c, his pen is in the inkpot which stands on the table, its ribbon hanging from it. Wide margined, fresh and clean. Near fine. Wraps. $500.00

22. _____.
The Vicar of Wakefield; A Tale By Dr. Goldsmith.
London: R. Ackermann, At The Repository of Arts, 1817. First edition thus. 254 pages. 23.5 x 15 cm. 24 hand-colored aquatint plates by Rowlandson, all with tissue guards. Binding by Lloyd, Wallace and Lloyd, raised bands spine panels richly gilt, inner dentelles, triple gilt cover border panels, marbled endpapers. Armorial bookplates front cover pastedown, minor rubbing to spine head, text and plates clean, offsetting of latter on tissue guards. TOOLEY 436. Covers rehinged. 19th century full crushed red morocco. Aeg. Near fine. $1,250.00

23. _____.
The Watercolor Drawings of Thomas Rowlandson From the Albert H. Wiggin Collection in Boston Public Library.
New York: Watson-Guptill, 1947. First edition. 127 pages. Commentary by Arthur W. Heintzelman. Fifty-two representative plates in black and white and color. Orig. beige linen cloth. Fine in worn dust jacket. $30.00

24. Woodward, George Moutard & Thomas Rowlandson.
Volunteer Wit Or Not Enough For A Prime.
Np: Np, Nd. 25 x 34 cm. Color etching with standing man at right replying, "I should be very happy to obey your orders Colonel but really your glasses are so small that d__m me if there is enough for a Prime." a few tiny nicks, with reinforcement at head. Orig. wrappers. Very good.$220.00