Robin's New and Improved Series of Arliss' Pocket Magazine
London: James Robins & Co., 1827-1828. First edition. Wraps. Very good. Item #22034 .
Five issues. 12mo. Original printed wrappers. Each with an original woodcut. Three are unquestionably by Cruikshank, with his original signature; the remaining two are in his style and are likely by him as well.
No. 1, January 1827, 'King of the Hartz", with the signature: By Geo Cruikshank, 1827.
No. 5, May, 1827, :More Mornings at Bow Street", unsigned but with a pencil notation "Reid 3549".
No. 8, August, 1827, "The Priest of Rothdunan" with": By Geo Cruikshank, 1827. The upper wrapper is also signed: An lllustration by Geo Cruikshank.
No. 11, November, 1827, "German Popular Stories" with the signature: By Geo Cruikshank 1827.
No. 14, January 1828, The Gomulagh.
Douglas states that only four woodcuts in this series were by Cruikshank, but Dodd and Cohn have pointed out that this statement is in error, for at least one other woodcut is known with Cruikshank's signature,. The five volumes here have three woodcuts signed by the artist as well as one upper wrapper. They are housed in a worn cloth chemise with a printed label stating that all of them have a woodcut by Cruikshank. Dodd points out (p. 28), that the owner of these and similar "possesses evidence of new and hitherto unrecognized Cruikshank material".
The chemise bears the bookplate of A. M. Cohn who issued the Cruikshank Catalogue Raisonné. It also includes a label with the handwritten note, likely in Cohn's hand, "Cat. Rais. 656", The bookplate has a piece lacking.
Cohn, 656.
Price: $5,000.00