- Museum number
- 1913,0415.209
- Title
- Object: India-Proofs of Wood-Engravings by The Brothers Dalziel
- Description
-
Album with hand-written title page: 'India-Proofs of Wood-Engravings by The Brothers Dalziel. General Work – Various. 1891 & 1892. This Book was made up at the time the engravings shown in it were done.' Half-bound in brown leather and gilt; lettering on spine reads 'Wood-Engravings by the Brothers Dalziel. XLVIII. Various Works. 1891-92'. The album includes approximately 1037 wood-engraved, line-block or halftone proofs, with some touched and annotated proofs. Following the title-page there is a brief contents page written by the Dalziels; this provides a reference for publishers and titles represented in the album, although it is by no means comprehensive nor entirely reliable. Interspersed throughout the album there are minimal notes in Dalziel's hand that give information such as working notes. For example, Dalziel often writes 'Process' to indicate a photomechanically produced print, rather than a wood engraving. There are also a few partial prints which record changes made to blocks (see e.g. no. 429).
The volume includes book and periodical illustrations of all sorts, and some commercial prints. There are numerous literary images, light entertainment, comic and children’s illustrations, including picture and toy books. There are several designs for book covers. There are music-related illustrations, portraits, religious images and ornamental prints. There are orientalising and racist images. It is notable that there are many process reproductions of wood engravings made by other firms, including some contemporary with the album, and some from many years earlier. Some but not all of these are listed below, and the phenomenon is often noted in the album in Dalziel’s hand. There are also process prints in the album that were clearly made by other firms.
Individual prints include:
Nos. 1-43: miscellaneous illustrations, including many commercial images, and some notes in Dalziel’s hand about clients. These include eight images of wind instruments (nos. 1-6), blocks which were repaired for Kenny & Co. Various other items were made for this client, including images of upright pianos (nos. 13-14). There are also wood engravings of three characters from novels by Charles Dickens, destined for advertisements of products made by Van Houten. No. 19 is a reduced(?) process reproduction of a letter from Unwin Brothers to Harvey Dalziel, praising Dalziel’s blocks.
Nos. 47-74, 77-112, 150-170, 173-257: these are reduced-size process line-blocks reproducing many of Dalziel’s own wood engraved illustrations of Shakespeare, after designs by John Gilbert. Gilbert and Dalziel originally made these illustrations for a three-volume edition of Shakespeare's 'Plays', edited by Howard Staunton (London: Routledge, 1858-62). These smaller, poor-quality reproductions are presumably for a later edition from Routledge. For others in the same series, see 1913,0415.208. For the original wood engravings, see reg. no. 1913,0415.171.
Nos. 138-140, 261: seven tiny portraits of Shakespeare, half-tone prints. The first six are labelled ‘J Swain’ in pencil in Dalziel’s hand; they may be after earlier prints by Swain, or that firm may have been involved in producing these ones. Probably for the project described under nos. 47 ff.
Nos. 289-318: thirty illustrations after George Cruikshank for Frank Smedley, ‘Frank Fairlegh, or Scenes from the Life of a Private Pupil’ (London: A Hall, Virtue & Co, 1850). Also published in parts from 1849. The illustrations in this album are process line-blocks reproducing the original steel engravings. They were problably made for the edition of the novel published by Routledge in 1892.
Nos. 347-348, 352: prints connected with an unidentified edition or editions, probably published by Routledge, of ‘The Thousand and One Nights’, here called ‘The Arabian Nights’ Entertainments’.
Nos. 352-353: two illustrations after John Leech for Gilbert Abbott A’Beckett, ‘The Comic History of England’ (London: Punch Office, 1847-1848). These process illustrations reproducing the original prints are probably in preparation for the 1894 reprint published by Routledge. The first image is a half-tone reproduction of a hand-coloured etching, entitled in the original publication ‘King John Signing Magna Charta’; the second is a line-block reproduction of a wood engraving, entitled in the original ‘King Edward introducing his Son as Prince of Wales, to his newly acquired Subjects’.
Nos. 384-527: numerous illustrations made for the publishers Frederick Warne. These are dominated by pictorial book covers and title pages, but also include many other miscellaneous illustrations, a few of which are listed below. Writers whose work is represented in these prints include Robert Cromie, John Bewick Harwood, Robert Southey, G P R James, Ignatius Donnelly, W H Maxwell, Charlotte Brontë, J Maclaren Cobben, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, Frances Hodgson Burnett, William Makepeace Thackeray, Walter Scott, Charles Dickens and Charles Kingsley.
Nos. 384-388: illustrations and spine for Robert Cromie, ‘A Plunge into Space’ (London: Frederick Warne, 1890). These are presumably for the second edition of 1891. Some are signed by an unidentified designer, J C (or J E). Includes colour-printed and monochrome versions.
Nos. 395, 397: related drawing and wood engraving, both unfinished designs for a cover of Edmund Boisgilbert [Ignatius Donnelly], ‘Caesar’s Column: A Story of the Twentieth Century’. Edition as yet untraced, but these are versions of images that became iconic illustrations to this landmark novel.
Nos. 398-399, 412-414, 421, 424-425: tiny reproductions of book covers for one or more of Frederick Warne’s catalogues. Includes ‘The Children’s Painting Book’, ‘The Bells of London Town: Drawing and Painting Book’ and ‘The Girl’s Home Companion’. No. 425 is a title page for the ‘Illustrated Catalogue of Frederick Warne and Co’s New Publications’ (London: Frederick Warne & Co., Christmas Season 1891-92), and other nearby illustrations may also be for this.
Nos 475-476, 478-494: half-tone illustrations after Hal Ludlow for an unidentified publication from Frederick Warne. Many have an unidentified printmaker’s monogram in addition to Ludlow’s signature. It appears to read ‘A C ph’, and the letters ‘A C’ resemble Archibald Chasemore’s monogram. It is possible that he had begun working as a process engraver under Dalziel’s patronage, and that he photographed Ludlow’s drawings for reproduction. The illustrations also have notes and large black areas that would have been cut off before publication.
Nos. 501-524: images after Edward Lear from his ‘Nonsense’ books. These are process reproductions of the earlier wood engravings.
Nos. 528-606, 952-1036: numerous comic illustrations for the magazine ‘Hood’s Annual’ (1892 and 1893), which was published by Dalziel.
Nos. 607-651, 852-864: miscellaneous illustrations, titles and advertisements for various clients, including some for the ‘Judy Annual’, and the ‘Judy’ and ‘Fun’ imprints, all published by Dalziel. The series includes half-tones signed by other printmakers including Joseph Swain and Georg Meisenbach. Also includes some colour-printed proofs. There are covers for picture and toy books published by Frederick Warne (though these are annotated ‘Dalziel Brothers’, rather than ‘F Warne & Co’, as were the earlier series of prints for that publisher (nos. 384 ff)). There are fairytale illustrations, and several of Punch and Judy.
Nos. 652-851: prints connected with the comic series ‘Ally Sloper’, published by Dalziel. Includes an invitation to the exhibition of a painting by Arthur Hacker (no. 669). Also includes illustrations for ‘Sloper’s Half Holiday’ and ‘Sloper’s Xmas Holidays’. The character Ally Sloper was originally created by Charles H Ross.
Nos. 865-867: three commercial illustrations for the ceramicists Doulton & Co, Lambeth.
Nos. 868-944: music-related illustrations for the publisher Novello & Co, including many images relating to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludvig van Beethoven. Those images relating to Beethoven are for a special issue of ‘The Musical Times and Singing Class Circular’, vol. 33, Beethoven Supplement (December 1892), a copy of which is kept at 208*.b.19.
Nos. 955-947: three photographic half-tone portraits.
- Producer name
-
Print made by: Dalziel Brothers (All)
-
Published by: F Warne & Co (Nos. 384-527, 627-629, 649)
-
Print made by: Georg Meisenbach (Nos. 30(s), 618-620(s), 928-931(s), 932, 941(s) (unsigned prints annotated 'Meisenbach' by Dalziel))
-
Published by: Routledge (Nos. 45-383?)
-
Published by: Chapman & Hall (Nos. 949-951)
-
Print made by: Archibald Chasemore (Nos. 475?-476?, 478?-494? (see object description))
-
Print made by: Joseph Swain (Nos. 607(s), 933-936, 98-940 (unsigned prints annotated 'Swain' or 'J Swain' by Dalziel))
-
Print made by: Alfred Dawson (Nos. 884(s), 942-944 (unsigned prints annotated 'Dawson' by Dalziel))
-
After: Frederick Barnard (Nos. 11, 459(m), 464(m), 473b, 477 (except for number 11, where the image is copied from an illustrated book signed by Barnard, unsigned prints are here attributed from coded annotations in Dalziel's hand))
-
After: Alexander Stuart Boyd (Nos. 457a(s), 459(s), 472(s), 535-537(m), 963-965(m), 979(s), 980(s))
-
After: Frederic T Catchpole (No. 999(s))
-
After: Archibald Chasemore (Nos. 990-991(m), 994(m))
-
After: Joseph Clayton Clarke (Nos. 609, 610(s), 611, 612-614(s), 615-616, 1009(s), 1012(s) (signed 'Kyd'; unsigned prints attributed on grounds of style and continuity))
-
After: George Cruikshank (Nos. 289-318(s))
-
After: H P Dollman (No. 1008(m))
-
After: Doulton's Lambeth Pottery (Nos. 865-867)
-
After: Mary Ellen Edwards (Nos. 46(m), 76(m), 141(m), 149(m), 287(m), 319(m), 323(m), 325(m), 329(m), 343-344(m), 351(m), 355(m), 357(m), 364(m), 375(m), 379(m))
-
After: Francis Arthur Fraser (Nos. 24(s), 113-137, 325b(m), 330-342(m), 262-285, 361-363, 365-374, 390, 396, 400-401(m), 406, 408(m), 409, 410(m), 422(m), 423, 427-428(m), 432, 435, 437, 441-442, 444, 526, 527(m), 641-643(m), 647(m) (unsigned prints attributed from annotations in Dalziel's hand, including some coded annotation))
-
After: G Gordon Fraser (Nos. 565-567(s), 1014(s), 1016-1018(s))
-
After: George Gatcombe (Nos. 142-144(s), 146-148(s), 172(s), 258-260(s), 288(s), 325d(s), 327(s), 348(s), 350(s), 381(s), 558-559(s), 574-575(s), 584(s), 594(s), 601(s), 623-624(s), 967(s), 981-982(s), 984(s), 1011(s), 1013(s), 1024(s), 1030-1031(s))
-
After: Sir John Gilbert (Nos. 47-74, 77-112, 150-170, 173-257 (many with monogram or signature, but this is often unclear due to the quality of printing))
-
After: Maurice Greiffenhagen (Nos. 534(s), 1022(s))
-
After: Ernest Griset (Nos. 560(s), 978(s))
-
After: Arthur Hacker (No. 669)
-
After: Sir Hubert von Herkomer (No. 880(s))
-
After: W J Houghton (Nos. 577-579(s), 968-970(m), 971(s), 972-974(m), 1000(s))
-
After: Hal Hurst (No. 595(s))
-
After: John F Jellicoe (Nos. 443(s), 453a-455(s), 457(s), 470(s), 471 (unsigned prints attributed from coded annotation in Dalziel's hand))
-
After: Giovanni Battista Lampi (No. 943(s))
-
After: Edward Lear (Nos. 501-524)
-
After: John Leech (Nos. 382-383)
-
After: Henry Stephen Ludlow (No. 352-354(s), 356(s), 358-360(s), 376-377(s) 434, 436(s), 438(s), 447(s), 449-450(s), 453, 456(s), 475(s), 476, 478(s), 479-480, 481-487(s), 488, 489-494(s), 539(s), 542(s), 856(s) (unsigned prints attributed from coded annotation in Dalziel's hand))
-
After: William Parkinson (Nos. 853(s), 864(s))
-
After: Sir Bernard Partridge (No. 531(s))
-
After: Leonhard Posch (No. 871)
-
After: Melton Prior (No. 1019(s))
-
After: Leonard Raven-Hill (Nos. 588(s), 607(s), 618-620(s))
-
After: Warwick Reynolds (Nos. 592(s), 993(s))
-
After: Matt Stretch (Nos. 606(s), 989(s), 1035(s))
-
After: James Frank Sullivan (Nos. 530(m), 543, 547(s), 580(m), 581)
-
After: Joseph Swain (Nos. 138-140? (see object description))
-
After: William Fletcher Thomas (Nos. 852(m))
-
After: John Gordon Thomson (Nos. 528(m), 564(m), 596(m), 952(s), 1005(s), 1028(s))
-
After: Frederick Henry Townsend (Nos. 554(s), 572(m), 962(s), 986(s), 992(s), 995(m))
-
After: Harry Tuck (Nos. 576(s), 996(s))
-
After: William Unger (No. 943(s) (this process print is probably by Dawson after an intaglio print by Unger; the design is by Lampi))
-
After: E J Wheeler (Nos. 43(s), 45(s), 75(m), 145(m), 171(m), 286(m), 320(m), 324(m), 325a(m), 325c, 326(m), 328(m), 345(m), 394(m))
- Production date
- 1891-1892
- Dimensions
-
Height: 435 millimetres (size of bound album)
-
Thickness: 69 millimetres (size of bound album)
-
Width: 288 millimetres (size of bound album)
- Curator's comments
- Catalogued by Bethan Stevens (University of Sussex) in partnership with the British Museum and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC); digital photography by Sylph Editions, London (www.sylpheditions.com).
This is one in a series of 49 albums in the British Museum with proof impressions of wood-engravings by the Brothers Dalziel.
An overview of the album has been offered here, but it would be possible to identify more writers, titles, artists and publishers on inspection and with further research.
In many cases, designers have been listed for the wood-engravings. Where no attribution comments are given, evidence is clear and has been verified (e.g. through publication details, etc.). Further, indication has also been given throughout when a designer's work is signed with signature or monogram. After the producer's name and the print number or range, the letter 's' in parentheses indicates a signature, the letter 'm' a monogram, and neither letter indicates a print that is unsigned by the draughtsman or draughtswoman. In addition, most of the proofs have the Dalziels' signature, although some do not. The presence/absence of the Dalziel signature has not been catalogued, since it is known that all these prints are by them.
The album includes some hand-written annotation, including brief notes written at the Dalziel office.
- Location
- Not on display
- Acquisition date
- 1913
- Department
- Prints and Drawings
- Registration number
- 1913,0415.209
