book; print; book-illustration

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book; print; book-illustration

Object Type: book; print; book-illustration
Museum number: 1864,0213.368-468
Description: "George Cruikshank's Omnibus." An illustrated book of 300 pages comprised of articles on diverse subjects with 100 illustrations by George Cruikshank. With a brown marbled cover and leather spine lettered with "Cruikshank's Omnibus" in gold. On the title-page: "George Cruikshank's Omnibus. Illustrated with One Hundred Engravings on Steel and Wood." With a Latin motto below the title: "De omnibus rebus of quibusdam aliis" and the editor and publisher's details in the lower section of the page: "Edited by Laman Blanchard Esq. London: Tilt and Bogue, Fleet Street. MDCCCXLII." On the verso, "London: Bradbury and Evans, Printers, Whitefriars." With a table of contents, a preface and lists of "Etchings on steel" and "Wood-cuts" on the opening pages. See "Subject and Associations" for themes covered by the illustrations and "References and Comments" for a list of individual illustrations which are listed in GW Reid's: "Descriptive Catalogue of the Works of George Cruikshank." 1871 1842 Letterpress book with wood engraved and etched illustrations
Producer name: Print made by: George Cruikshank; Published by: Charles Tilt; Printed by: Bradbury & Co; Print made by: Charles Eden Wagstaff (The portrait of George Cruikshank is engraved by Wagstaff)
School/style
Production date: 1842
Production place: Published in: London (England)
Materials: paper; cardboard (Binding); leather (Binding)
Technique
Dimensions: Height: 222 millimetres (approx. page height); Width: 136 millimetres (approx. page width)
Curator's comments: According to AM Cohn: "First Issued in nine monthly parts from May 1841 to January 1842." The issues were comprised of serialised stories, notably "Frank Heartwell or Fifty Years Ago." and articles contributed by authors including Laman Blanchard and Captain Marryat which explains the diverse range of subjects covered. The illustrations offer insights into attitudes to social class, race, gender and popular culture at the time of the publication. Titles from GW Reid: "A descriptive catalogue of the works of George Cruikshank." 1871. Reid does not give catalogue numbers for the wrapper (See Cohn 190.) The etched and wood-engraved illustrations are catalogued seperately by Reid. The following portraits, not by George Cruikshank, are also included in the volume: Portrait of George Cruikshank- Engraved by C.E. Wagstaff, Published by Tilt and Bogue. "Mademoiselle Rachel in the Character of Mary Stuart." Published by Tilt and Bogue. "Adelaide Kemble in the Character of Norma." Published by Tilt and Bogue.
Bibliographic references: Reid 1871 / A descriptive catalogue of the works of George Cruikshank (2158) ("Frontispiece- Preface."); Cohn 1924 / George Cruikshank, catalogue raisonné (190) (The wrapper (inside the front cover of this volume.))
Location: Not on display
Subjects: costume/clothing (See Reid Nos. 3960, 3691, 3991); cherub/cupid (See Reid Nos. 3962, 3966, 3972, 4001, 4002, 4024); photography (See Reid No. 3964); police (See Reid No. 2168); acrobat/street-performer (See Reid Nos. 3969 and 3969); election (See Reid No. 2173); servant/domestic worker (See Reid Nos. 3973 and 3974); coachman/cart-driver (See Reid No. 3975); kangaroo (See Reid Nos. 3980 - 3981); cat (See Reid Nos. 2171 and 3983); hypnotism (See Reid No. 3993 (which concerns Mesmerism.)); ghost (See Reid Nos. 2172, 3995 and 3996); skating (See Reid No. 2174); devil/demon (See Reid No. 4006); shipwreck (See Reid No. 2165); pleasure garden (See Reid No. 3999 for "The Last Night of Vauxhall Gardens."); ballooning (See Reid No. 3999); society/human life
Associated names: Associated with: Napoléon I, Emperor of the French (Napoleon) (See Reid Nos 3963 and 3985); Associated with: Adelaide Kemble (Subject of an article p.238); Associated with: Elisabeth-Rachel Félix, known as Mademoiselle Rachel (Subject of an article p.129); Associated with: Richard Brothers (Depicted in the illustrations to "Frank Heartwell." Reid No. 2163); Associated with: Samuel Laman Blanchard (Editor of and contributor to the Omnibus)
Associated places: Associated with: Tower of London
Associated events: Associated Event: Fire at the Tower of London October 30 1841 (See Reid Nos. 2175, 4015, 4016 and 4017.) 1841
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1864
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1864,0213.368-468

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