Melange of Humour, The

London: Printed by W. Lewis, 1835. Fifty Hand-Colored Plates Caricaturing the English Lifestyle of the 1820s

[EGERTON, Daniel Thomas, and others]. The Melange of Humour; A Series of Fifty Coloured Engravings, Comprising a Great Variety of Comic Subjects, by The most Popular Artists of the Present Day. London: Printed by W. Lewis, [n.d., 1835].

First collected edition of this acclaimed series of humorous plates depicting the English and French lifestyle of the 1820s.

Folio (14 1/16 x 10 1/4 inches; 358 x 260 mm.). Letterpress title and fifty hand-colored etched plates (including frontispiece). Most plates with tissue guards. Plates watermarked 1835, 1821, and 1822.

Contemporary half maroon roan, ruled in gilt, over gray pebble-grain cloth boards. Spine decoratively tooled and lettered in gilt with three wide raised bands. All edges gilt. With the engraved book-plate of John M. Schiff on front paste-down. Early ink signature of Wm. Morrison dated 1840 on front free endpaper. Top and bottom of spine expertly repaired, inner joints neatly strengthened. An excellent example of a very rare and highly amusing book of caricatures.

Rare: OCLC/KVK locate just three copies in libraries and institutions worldwide: Yale University Library (CT, US); Harvard University (MA,US) and University of Oxford Libraries (UK).

The collection comprises:

Six hand-colored aquatint plates [A Day's Journal of a Sponge] (London: Published by W. Egerton, 1824) captioned: "Was 'stirring with the lark,' bent on fixing myself for a month's sponge on a friend..."; "Feeling one of those pangs 'which flesh is heir to'..."; "Having returned, & hired a chaise, the only method of conveyance..."; "Former fears confirmed, by being driven, on my return, without orders into the Stable Yard..."; "Sauntering down Bond Street, in the evening, to 'Lose & neglect the creeping hours of time'..."; and "Being recovered from the effects of the last catastrophe, resolved on making one more effort, to gain a supper..."

Twelve numbered hand-colored aquatint plates by Daniel Thomas Egerton originally published as The Necessary Qualifications of a Man of Fashion (London: Published by Thomas M'Lean, Repository of Wit & Humour, 1823). The plates are captioned: "Negligence," "Assurance," "Confidence," "Impudence," "Intemperance," "Indifference," "Unfeelingness," "Forgetfulness," "Selfishness," "Intrigue," "Eccentricity," and "Inconsistency."

Hand-colored engraved title and twelve hand-colored aquatint plates (the first six plates are numbered) "Design'd & Etch'd by D.T. Egerton": "Fashionable Bores or Coolers in High Life by Peter Quiz" (London: Published by Thos. McLean, 1824); "The Silent Rebuke"; "The Leech"; "The Tables Turn'd"; "The Unfortunate Discovery"; "The Insolence of Office"; "The Trial of Nerves"; "Vis a Vis"; "The Unpleasant Rencontre"; "The Unwelcome Visit"; "The Disappointment"; "The Pressing Invitation"; and "The Finishing Bore." Abbey, Life, 287 and Colas 937 (with imprint of W. Sams).

Six plates by Henry Alken "A Set of Six Plates on Horse Riding" (London: Published...by Thomas McLean, 1821): "Perfectly Satisfied," "Dissatisfied," "Delighted," "Surpris'd," "Displeas'd," and "Terrified."

Thirteen hand-colored lithographed plates by Pigal and L. Boilly captioned: "Le petite famille" (L. Boilly); "Omnium Gatherum" (Pigal?); "This is mine Heir" (Pigal); "as it used to be" (Pigal); "Nasty Old Fellow you shan't" (Pigal); "Commissioners" (Pigal?); "View on the Pont Neuf" (Pigal?); "The Scratch" (Boilly?); "Phoo! Anglais Pah! Pish!" (Pigal); "Smokers" (L. Boilly); "La bonne petite soeur" (Boilly); The Defiance (Boilly); "Time has not thin'd our flowing hair Nor bent us with his Iron hand" (Pigal).

Abbey, Life 287 & 289; Bobins 1319; Colas 937; Tooley, 203 & 204.