Object types
print (scope note | all objects)
Title (object)
Great Britains Wonder: or, Londons Admiration
Materials
paper (all objects)
Techniques
letterpress (all objects)
woodcut (scope note | all objects)
Production person
Print made by Anonymous (all objects)
Published by John Seller (biographical details | all objects)
Published by Robert Walton (biographical details | all objects)
Production place
Published in London (scope note | all objects)
Date
1684
Schools /Styles
British (all objects)
Description
Broadside with woodcut view of numerous stalls and people on the frozen Thames, within letterpress text with the title at the top and three columns of text below (London, printed by M.Haly and J.Millet and sold by Robert Walton and John Seller, 1684)
Inscriptions
Inscription Content: With printed title and publication line; on the block various names of buildings. Annotated by Luttrell with the date '9 Feb.1684/3'
Dimensions
Height: 515 millimetres
Width: 396 millimetres (sheet)
Height: 239 millimetres
Width: 387 millimetres (woodcut)
Curator's comments
(Text from Antony Griffiths, 'The Print in Stuart Britain', BM 1998 cat.202)
The famous frost of the winter of 1683-4 froze the Thames for nearly two months, from the beginning of December until the 4 February. As the broadsheet states, it continued so cold and the ice so thick 'that men and beasts, coaches and carts, went as frequently thereon as boats were wont to pass before. There was also a street of booths built from the Temple to Southwark, where were sold all sorts of goods imaginable, namely cloaths, plate, earthen ware, meat, drink, brandy, tobacco and a hundred sorts of other commodities not here inserted. It being a wonder of this present age, and a great consternation to all the spectators.'
Such frosts occurred on average twice a century until the mid nineteenth century, when, with the demolition of the old bridges, the current was no longer obstructed. The paradox of a fair held on water seized the popular imagination, and gave rise to numerous events such as bull baiting and fox hunting, as well as a considerable ephemeral literature.
This woodcut broadsheet is dated by Luttrell to 9 February, and so, like most of the broadsheets, postdates the thaw that ended the fair. It was published by two of the major City printsellers, Robert Walton at the Globe by St Paul's, and John Seller near the Royal Exchange. Luttrell noted the price as 3d, which is confirmed by the entry in the Term catalogue of May 1684 where the price is given as 3d plain and 6d coloured.
The woodcut almost certainly derives from the earlier engraving, Crace VIII.17. Luttrell paid 5d for the engraving - an interesting instance of the differential in cost that always existed between the two types of print as a result of the much slower speed of printing copper-plates.
Subject
frost fair (all objects)
Associated events
Associated Event Frost Fair
1684
Associated places
Topographic representation of London (scope note | all objects)
Acquisition date
1880
Acquisition name
Purchased from John Gregory Crace (biographical details | all objects)
Previous owner/ex-collection Narcissus Luttrell (annotated in his hand) (biographical details | all objects)
Previous owner/ex-collection Frederick Crace (biographical details | all objects)
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