Hogarth, The Works of William. With Descriptions, in which are pointed out many beauties that have hitherto escaped notice, with a Comment of their moral tendency, by the Rev. John Trusler. With

158  copper  plates

(subject size ca. 17-19.5 x 11.5-16.5 cm, upright and oblong) by Thomas Cook (ca. 1744 – London 1818, “made a name for himself as Hogarth engraver, too”, Thieme-Becker), 32 of which together with his son. New, revised and corrected edition. 2 vols. London, J. Goodwin, 1827. 4to. 4 unnumbered ll. title + biography, 151 pp.; title, 158 pp. Dark brown-red long-grained contemp. morocco on 3 ribs with rich gilt back incl. title, gilt linings on boards, standing edges, and inner boards, blindtooled boards, and brown inner boards + fly-leaves Gilt edges.

With engraved coat-of-arms exlibris Anthony Peacock, Esq. / Rauceby, Co. Lincoln., with three peacock heads in light horizontal ribbon plus another peacock head above the helmet holding a flower in its bill, and the motto “Be just and fear not.” – With 24 x 30 cm unusually wide-margined copy with the mostly complete platemargins, trimmed to the platemark on one side at most.

The bindings somewhat timestained and namely at the joints and standing edges rubbed, on the boards light traces of scratches or rubbing. Two leaves of the biography with restored tear of 9 cm caused by the binding. The plates of namely the first volume mostly minimally to a bit foxing though, but even less on the face and ultimately nearly negligible. Only the portrait frontispiece of the 1^st volume more. The printing quality itself marvelous with the already mentioned broadmarginess. The text – watermarked Rye Mill 1826 – of generally great freshness.

The comprehensive descriptions of the plates set in fine large typography and in direct neighbourhood of these. Thus both together very comfortably.

The series – with the exception of 5 signed and dated in the plate – was executed from 1806-09 as commented compact edition. The remark on the title to (Samuel) Davenport as co-engraver correct at most in view of the few unsigned plates. One plate with the additional printer’s sign Bishop. This edition had been preceded by the large one in Hogarth’s original size as has never been repeated and was worked by Cook father alone between about 1795 and 1803. His importance as Hogarth-engraver specially stressed by Thieme-Becker. Several works not or not anymore published by Hogarth himself became known through him.

The collection here pretending to be a complete edition – “The Works … containing one hundred and fifty-eight Engravings” – though not with the risk of such daring plates as Before and After or even Charity in the Cellar with its authentic high-ranking philanderers, published only by Baldwin & Cradock in 1837 in the large-sized original edition with the remark “added to our present edition … not to be found in any other of the collected works”. The patron of those plates besides Gustavus, the 2^nd Lord Viscount Boyne, represented with a portrait in this edition. Shortly,

Offer no. 28,358 / EUR  910. / Export price EUR  865. (c. US$ 1396.) + shipping

“ Thank you Mr. Niemeyer, The prints (you are delivered two weeks ago) are being framed right now. My framer is very particular (works for the National Gallery … ) and I am having a perfect frame made for the large Ridinger (the imperial stag hunt Th. 67). Best regards ”

(Mr. J. R. L., November 19, 2003)