New drop scene, or, A managerial puff!!

description below

A man stands in a room holding a caduceus decorated comic mask, saying ”When I do stare, see how the subjects quacke’.” He is surrounded with bills and a bag of coins on the table, both suggesting corruption. At sign hanging from the table reads “Alexandrian Memorial, A loss is no benefit. No committee.” Below on the floor, another discarded scroll reads “Rejected with prejudice.” At his foot is an animal (a fox?) holding a sign “Designs [ca]refully copied, civilly returned, and he carries in his hand a piece of paper “I perceive the trick & will avoid the cheat. Na-th.” Behind him hangs a sign, “The exact-u-trick is safe or 22d Sept.” On the wall is a picture of the facade of a theater. Probably a satire on an unidentified theater manager.

  • Title: New drop scene, or, A managerial puff!! – Cunning Isaac! [graphic].
  • Publication: [London?] : [publisher not identified], [approximately 1810?]

Catalog Record

810.00.00.85

Acquired September 2023

The celebrated Clark

see description below“Mrs. Clarke auctions commissions from a rostrum to a crowd of bidders, while the Duke of York acts as her clerk. All are unconscious of a net in which they are enclosed, and with which the Devil flies off into flames (right). Mrs. Clarke (right), in profile to the left, with raised hammer, holds out a paper headed Commission. She says: Going for no more than £500 a Commission Positively worth 5000. An officer, probably Dowler, see British Museum satires no. 11253, holds out his arms towards her, saying, my dear dear dear Angel Knock it down to me or I am ruin’d. Another says: Let the good Bishop [the Duke, see British Museum satires no. 11227] have the Game & we my Boy will have the Cream. The other applicants are in civilian dress; one says to the bidder: my dear fellow dont be so anxious for depend upon it these tricks will be Found out & all will be Lost. The Duke of York, in uniform, records the bids in a book, his pen resting on the figure 500. He says Thus am I content to record & ratify the Destruction of the Army, my Country & myself, rather than loose my dear DARLING to [cf. British Museum satires no. 11228]. The Devil looks over his shoulder at Mrs. Clarke to say with a baleful grin: Going, Going Gon you may now say, for I have You tight enough my dear Honey.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Title: The celebrated Clark, exalted to the pulpit by the humility of a royal bishop [graphic].
  • Publication: [London] : Pubd. 22nd April 1809 by J.H. Warl, London, [22 April 1809]

Catalog Record 

809.04.22.01+

Acquired September 2019

 

Chosen candidate

Chosen candidate. Detailed description below.

A caricature on the prevalence of bribery during elections, most probably that of 1826. The successful liberal candidate stands on a platform before a cheering crowd and people waving from the windows of adjoining building. In the ‘Committee Room’ behind him, an official pays a man holding a sign inscribed ‘No bribery or corruption’ with the word ‘and’ between bribery and corruption scored through. On the right is an armchair and behind it stand two large flags; two flowers on the chair match the flower on the lapel of the candidate.

  • Artist: Lane, Theodore, 1800-1828, artist.
  • Title: Chosen candidate [art original] / by Theodore Lane.
  • Production: [London], [ca. 1826]

Catalog Record 

Drawings L265 no. 2 Box D205

Acquired March 2019

Rejected candidate

Rejected candidate. Detailed description below

A caricature on the prevalence of bribery during elections, most probably that of 1826. The distraught rejected candidate, shown full-length and facing left is red in the face and pulling at his hair. His election placard lies on the floor and two notes are visible on the mantelpiece above a grill with fireplace tools: ‘Tavern expenses 500’ and ‘Bringing voters from London 800’. Through the window on the right, with flags flying, a cheering crowd carries the successful candidate in a chair above their heads.

  • Artist: Lane, Theodore, 1800-1828, artist.
  • Title: Rejected candidate [art original] / by Theodore Lane.
  • Production: [London], [ca. 1826]

Catalog Record 

Drawings L265 no. 1 Box D205

Acquired March 2019

The hopes of the nation

“A satirical emblematic design; at centre, ‘The Rock of the True Old English Constitution’, on which sits a small figure of John Bull on a chair, holding a tankard and a pipe, saying, ‘Wellhere I am I John Bull – thrown rather in the back ground this is the blessed effect of parties their pockets are full, and mine are empty. – however – Grievings a Folly so let us be be [sic] jolly – My Service to you.’ To left stands a large grinning figure, ‘Opposition Man’, his hands in his pockets, with papers lettered ‘Jobbing’, ‘Corruption’, and with sums of money; at right stands a similar figure, ‘Ministerial Man’, also grinning and with hands in his pockets, one of which is lettered ‘The Cash The Cash’. With feet on the shoulders of the latter and above Bull is a spreadeagled, large grinning figure, saying ‘No Party Man’, whose pocket is inscribed ‘a little more money if you please’; on his head is balanced a cushion-like object lettered ‘Promises’, which supports the banner, ‘Reform’; on top of this is a similing head wearing a ruff, fool’s cap and ass’s ears.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Printmaker: Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827, printmaker.
  • TitleThe hopes of the nation, or, New armorial bearings for John Bull [graphic].
  • Publication[London] : Pubd. May 25th, 1809, by Thos. Tegg, No. 111 Cheapside, [25 May 1809]

Catalog Record 

809.05.25.01+

Acquired November 2017

The children of India worshiping the golden calf

“Indian men and women kneel before a large rectangular pedestal on which stands a golden calf with the head of Hastings. Three Indians lie on the pedestal at Hastings’s feet, making gestures of despair and entreaty. From his mouth protrudes a sword (left) inscribed ‘The Brand of Devastation’. On his back sits Wilkes facing the tail (right) which he lifts with one hand; in the other is the cap of ‘Liberty’ in which he catches large jewels excreted by the Golden Calf. He wears a livery gown and says: “Who would not wipe a Calf’s Backside, To gain the Sparks of Eastern Pride”. At the Calf’s feet lie a crown, sceptre, and orb, with (?) scimitars. On the ground and on the extreme left a well-dressed man stands before an altar holding a knife which drips blood over the altar; he says, pointing to an Indian who lies at his feet, stabbed through the heart: ‘When British Judges rule the Coast, The Natives must obey, No palliative means we boast, By G——you die or pay’. In the foreground (right) stand Thurlow and a military officer. The Chancellor, who wears his wig and robe, is blindfolded; in his right hand he holds erect the ‘Sword of Justice’, which is being taken from him by the officer who holds a diamond against the blade. In Thurlow’s left hand is a bag inscribed ‘Gold Moors’; he says: “Which Powerful God my wavering mind controuls, And my Sage Brows with Golden bands infolds, ‘Tis Mammons self I can be Just no more, Take thou the Sword give me the Golden Store”. The officer, who wears a wallet or haversack inscribed ‘Diamonds’, says: “So shall we Triumph while the Diamond’s smile, Can melt the Soul and Justice’s beguile.” Three Indians who kneel in the foreground below the pedestal of the Golden Calf are offering money (a bag inscribed ‘Gold Moors’) and jewel-boxes to Hastings.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • TitleThe children of India worshiping the golden calf [graphic] : this be thy God O India! who has brought thee to the verge of destruction.
  • Publication:[ London] : Publish’d May 15, 1788, by J. Berry, No. 129 Oxford Road, [15 May 1788]

Catalog Record 

Drawer 788.05.15.01

Acquired October 2017

English coronet auction by K-, P- & Co.

In a large room French aristocrats crowd across a table from Pitt who is taking money while handing a pen to the man opposite who holds a crown in his left arm as he throws coins toward Pitt’s grasping hand. Above Pitt stands George III behind podium, gavel in one hand and another crown extended toward one of the many bidders shouting comments and prices. The King calls out, “This is a lot, gentlemen, of superior brilliancy to the last. This, this raises you above your fellows in a very high degree indeed. I pity your distresses from my soul, what, what, what was that you were saying about jewels, Madames, too high. You may ride over the necks of half the nation with this upon your coach. You may get in debt as fast as you please and never pay. Mind that gentlemen, never pay.” The Queen walks up a ladder behind the King to retrieve more crowns from the shelves behind the King’s podium, turning her head to say, “Pay some attention to that Lady’s jewels, my love.”

  • CreatorByron, Frederick George, 1764-1792, attributed name.
  • TitleEnglish coronet auction by K-, P- & Co., or, Comfort for the late French noblesse [graphic] / designed by Corruption ; executed by Avarice.
  • PublicationLondon : Pubd. by Willm. Holland, No. 50 Oxford Street, July 8, 1790.

Catalog Record 

790.07.08.01+

Acquired May 2017

 

The grounds

Satire on Robert Walpole, showing the grounds for the Motion to remove him from office.

  • TitleThe grounds [graphic].
  • Publication[London] : [publisher not identified], publish’d according to act of Parliament, March 7, 1741.

Catalog Record

741.03.07.02.3+

Acquired March 2017

Ready mony the prevailing candidate

Click for larger image

 Print shows on the left, a statue of Justice in a niche beneath which a candidate, doffing his hat, offers a purse of money to a voter who replies, “Twill scarce pay, make it twenty more”, beside them a gentleman points to the statue saying “Regard Justice” to another carrying a bundle on his shoulder who replies, “We fell out, I lost money by her”. In the centre, in front of a large crowd are two candidates, both waving their hats, slip coins into two of the many pockets of a voter’s coat; one candidate says, “Sell not your Country” and the voter replies, “No Bribery but Pocketts are free”. Further to the right another candidate, saying “Accept this small acknowledgment”, offers a purse to a gentleman who grovels on the ground for coins that have been thrown down by the prevailing candidate, from his position on a chair supported by poles on the shoulders of four men. On the right, a statue of Folly in a niche empties bags of coins; before the statue is an altar on which a fire burns, a candidate kneels at its base imploring, “Help me Folly or my Cause is lost”; to the left of the altar, is a butcher crying “See here, see here” and to the right, a classical philosopher, saying “Let not thy right hand know what thy left does”, puts his hand behind him to received a bribe from a young man. Beyond is a tavern outside the landlord, wearing horns, calls out “He kist my Wife he has my Vote”; outside the tavern hangs the sign of a bottle with a large globe attached.

  • Title: Ready mony the prevailing candidate, or The humours of an election [graphic].
  • Published: London : Sold at the Print Shop in Grays Inn, [1727]

Catalog Record  & Digital Collection

727.00.00.02

Acquired July 2013

The first day of term, or, The devil among the lawyers

Click for larger image

“An altered copy of British Museum number 3764 (circa 1792), a mezzotint after Dighton. The dress of the two non-barristers has been modernized, one or two background heads have been omitted. The principal barrister has been altered from a grotesque to a portrait of MacNally, adapted, in reverse, from No. 11409. It is he who holds out his hand for coins to a melancholy countryman, and has a large brief inscribed ‘Gaffer Flatscull agt Ralph Clodpole’. This and all other inscriptions are as in No. 3764. The attorney (right), who stands in profile to the left holding a pamphlet: ‘Practic'[sic] of petty Fogging’, wears a top-hat and has short cropped hair, and is better characterized than in the original and may be a portrait.”–British Museum online catalogue.

  • Title: The first day of term, or, The devil among the lawyers [graphic].
  • Published: [Dublin : Pub’d by T. O’Callaghan, 11 Bride St., one door from Ross Lane, 1809?]

Catalog Record & Digital Collection

809.00.00.63

Acquired November 2013