Guy Fawkes; or, The Gunpowder Treason

George CRUIKSHANK   |   William Harrison AINSWORTH

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Guy Fawkes; or, The Gunpowder Treason
Guy Fawkes; or, The Gunpowder Treason

AINSWORTH'S GUY FAWKES, 1841, WITH CRUIKSHANK ILLUSTRATIONS, VERY HANDSOMELY BOUND

(CRUIKSHANK, George) AINSWORTH, William Harrison. Guy Fawkes; or, The Gunpowder Treason. London: Richard Bentley, 1841. Three volumes. Octavo, 20th-century full black morocco gilt, raised bands, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, uncut, custom slipcase.

First edition in book form, with 22 engraved plates by George Cruikshank, beautifully bound by Riviere and Son.

"Cruikshank's connection with Ainsworth was more enduring than that with Dickens. He illustrated six of Ainsworth's novels as well as contributing to the first six volumes of Ainsworth's Magazine" (Ray, 71.) "The comic marks most of his drawings… yet an almost equally important element in Cruikshank's makeup was his acute sensitivity to misery, vice, and corruption. He came more and more to emphasize these aspects of life in the haunting scenes of mystery and horror that dominate his illustrations of Ainsworth and W.H. Maxwell" (Ray, 69). Ainsworth was the editor of Bentley's Miscellany from 1839 to 1841, just long enough to see his novel serialized; this first book edition followed in 1841. CBEL 472. Sadleir 13. Bookplates.

Fine condition.

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