[Auction Catalogues] The W. H. Bruton Collections. Catalogue of the very choice collections of printed books, autograph letters and book illustrations, also drawings by Thomas Rowlandson : the property of the late Henry William Bruton, Esq., Bewick House, Gloucester . . . including one of the finest known copies of The Pickwick Papers . . . very fine unpublished drawings . . . by Thomas Rowlandson . . . books illustrated by George Cruikshank . . . ; [with] frontispiece to Roland's Comic Songs by Cruikshank; [and with] The Chignon, etching by Cruikshank

London: Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 1921. Limited Edition. Half-Morocco. Fine. Large Paper copies, each number 3 of 125 sets of which 60 were for sale, with printed prices and buyer's names. Complete in two volumes (Printed Books and Old Engravings). Royal 8vo (277 x 182mm): [2],iv,62,[2],vii,[1], with portrait frontispiece and twelve tissue-guarded leaves of plates; [2],iv,3-39,[1],iv, with portrait frontispiece and eight tissue-guarded leaves of plates. Bound in half crushed morocco by Riviere, original bluish-green wrappers printed in black bound in, top edges gilt, note on the extra illustrations bound in following the preface to Printed Books. Loosely inserted (and not called for) are the frontispiece to Roland's Comic Songs by Cruikshank (see book catalogue item 387, where this engraving is described as "excessively scarce") and The Chignon, colored etching by Cruikshank. Apart from these two laid-in illustrations, a number of plates were specially printed from Cruikshank's original copper plates and bound into this large paper edition. An absolutely Fine set, virtually pristine, with very fine impressions of the plates. OCLC 61499597. In 1862, Bruton's father formed the estate agents and auctioneers Bruton, Knowles & Co. in partnership with William Knowles. Henry Jr. joined the firm in 1864 and became partner in 1870. He had a special interest in Thackeray and Dickens, and he also was vice president of the Dickens Fellowship. Included in this sale, in London, from June 7th through the 10th, 1921, was a long series of novels, in parts, and rare pamphlets by Dickens; unpublished drawings by Rowlandson for The dance of death and The seven ages of man; caricatures, original drawings, and an extensive collection of books illustrated by George Cruikshank; publications by Thomas Bewick; the Kelmscott Chaucer, and the fourth folio edition of Shakespeare's Works. All were said to be "mostly in immaculate condition, many presentation copies, and many extra-illustrated with fine drawings, important autograph letters, and rare engravings." N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).