[Rarebooks] FS - Thackeray bibliobgraphy & reference lot, with ALS from early bibliographer, plus artist-signed LEC

[Michael Watson]

FS - Thackeray bibliography & reference lot, with ALS from early 
bibliographer, plus artist-signed LEC

This lot of (10) Thackeray-related books $150 + $10 shipping = $160 USD 
for those in the US. Others please inquire about shipping terms

Johnson, Charles Plumptre, Editor
The Early Writings of William Makepeace Thackeray
Elliot Stock, 1888, 1st, limited, large 8vo, 64pp, VG/

This "prose bibliography" by the Editor William Plumptre Johnson 
(1853-1938) covers William Makepeace Thackeray's early essays, articles, 
and reviews for periodicals like The Snob, The Chimera, The National 
Omnibus, The National Standard, The Constitutional, The Literary 
Gazette, Frazer's Magazine, and The Times. Thackeray owned, co-owned, or 
had a financial interest in many  of the periodicals he wrote for: in 
summary he was party to many publishing failures and his successes were 
always brief.

Covers his known "short works" beyond his periodical essays. Also has 
extensive documentation of Thackeray's "American" book editions and the 
differences between them and the UK editions. Covers the "American 
Edition" Yellowplush Papers, Fitz-Boodle Papers, Major Garagan, Men's 
Wives, Barry Lyndon, A Shabby Genteel Story, Book of Snobs, Jeame's 
Diary, A Legend of the Rhine, Rebecca and Rowena, Prize Novelists, The 
Fat Contributor, Travels in London, Mr. Brown's Letters, The Proser and 
Other Tales, and Charity and Humour.

A few illustrations by Thackeray. Other drawings and etchings "after 
W.M. Thackeray" are by (George) Chinnery, F(rederick). Walker, and R. 
Doyle. George Chinnery painted numerous portraits of Thackeray's 
parents, often in the company of William Makepeace as a child. Frederick 
Walker was contracted by Thackeray's publisher George Smith to redraw, 
with some artistic license, some of  Thackeray's amateurish drawings for 
inclusion in the serialized The Adventures of Phillip. He continued to 
illustrate books by Thackeray's daughter.

This example is one of 50 on hand made paper from a total edition of 
550. In this state each of 7 plates is accompanied by a second identical 
plate with sepia background. For example the tissue-guarded lithograph 
frontispiece printed in black reproduces a Chinery portrait of 
Thackeray, at age three, with his mother. A second frontispiece facing 
the title page is the same lithograph printed in brown with a light 
sepia toned background, no tissue guard.Quarter leather with blue-green 
cloth over boards. Text block cut at the head only, gilt at the head 
only. Fore and tail edges rough.

Laid down to the front endpaper is the editor's autograph signed letter 
[ALS] on stationary from Lincoln's Inn, 9 New Square, London W.C. The 
3-page letter of May 20, 1891 is to a Philadelphia lawyer who had sent 
Johnson some material for review with the expectation that it was by 
Thackeray. The autograph signed letter is as follows:

"20th May - 1891 // My dear sir // I am obligedy(?) your letter / of the 
8th month, received this / morning, and for the two / books which 
reached me / safely. I fear there is / nothing of Thackeray's / in them. 
Curiously eno. / I saw the two vols. in  [page] a county catalogue soon 
after / I wrote to you and bought them / for a few shillings. // I am 
very anxious to obtain / the Philad. Yellow Plush and / hope you will 
succeed in / getting it for me. // I will dispatch to you / my 
?????ville "Reading a / Poem" and also a l.p. / copy of my early 
writings [page] for the purpose of our mutual / accounts you may put 
them / at 3 Guineas. // I have seen the contributions / by Mrs Richie 
which you / mention. Have you seen her / recent papers in the 
(Fern?)hill? // I should like the 21st and 22nd / vols of the Houghten 
exhibition / which you mention. // I remain, / yours very truly. / 
Charles P. Johnson."

The phrase "Reading a Poem" refers to "Reading a Poem, a Sketch by 
William Makepeace Thackeray" "Communicated by Brother Charles Plumptre 
Johnson to the Sette [of Odd Volumes] . on Friday 1st May 1891." The 
Sette of Odd Volumes was a club of bibliophiles and this was their book 
25 of the series and alternately titled "The Sette of Odd Volumes; 
Opusculum XXVII." The original work was "Reading a Poem, by Mr. Michael 
Angelo Titmarsh" [pseudonym: William Makepeace Thackeray]. "early 
writings" refers to this very book I'm describing, Johnson's "The Early 
Writings of William Makepeace Thackeray" from Eliot Stock, London. 
"l.p." likely indicates the 'large paper' edition of 50. Also laid down 
is the envelope to William Laubert Esq of Philadelphia. "5/28/91" noted 
in pencil in the corner, perhaps the date of receipt given that the 
letter is dated 5/20/91.

Ex-library with "Withdrawn" inkstamp to front pastedown. Rough erasure 
of call number from front endpaper. Front hinge just starting at tail, 
rear hinge just starting at head, both still well-attached. Leather 
spine heavily rubbed, but gilt title still quite visible and bright, 
spine tail bumped. Corners bumped and curved inward. Cloth of back cover 
just starting to lift at the edge of the leather spine.

The defects are described with a conservative eye and the book is 
between VG and VG- condition. With the expected external wear this is 
still an excellent example of the 50 on hand made paper, especially so 
with the relevant ALS from the Editor. An opportunity for the Thackeray 
researcher and collector.

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Thackeray, William Makepeace
The History of Pendennis : His Fortunes and Misfortunes, His Friends and 
His Greatest Enemy
Limited Editions Club, 1961, 1st Thus, Hardcover, Large 8vo  9" - 10" 
tall, 714 pp., Fine/

Like much of Thackeray's work, Pendennis is a satire on the foibles of 
human nature and high society. Quite autobiographical, it reads like a 
farce with the frequently-bewildered Pendennis climbing through London's 
upper crust from one doomed romance to another, gambling and stumbling 
through social interaction. The author of Vanity Fair was able to take 
more time with this novel than the previous and it was originally 
published in 20 periodical installments.

This is a finely-made, understated presentation by Limited Editions 
Club, copy 817 of an edition of 1500. Thirty color illustrations by 
Charles W. Stewart who has SIGNED the colophon of Volume II. 
Introduction by Robert Cantwell gives a good context for Thackeray's 
situation and state of mind during the writing of the manuscript. 
Typography by John Lewis and LEC seems to have overlooked informing us 
about the font name. Reasonably wide margins. Printed by W.S. Cowell, 
Ipswitch, Suffolk, England, on fine, stiff, parchment-colored paper. 
Smooth yellow cloth over boards, shallow blind stamping of designs and 
ornaments spans both entire covers and spine. Gray spine labels with 
gilt titles.

Lacks the fragile glassine wrappers on the two volumes. Both volumes 
clean and absolutely Fine in a Fine slipcase with zero wear.

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Taylor, Theodore Esq. editor [Pseud: Hotten, John Camden]
Thackeray the Humorist and the Man of Letters
D. Appleton & Company, 1864, 1st American Edition, Hardcover, 8vo  8" - 
9" tall, 242 pp., G+/

"The Story of his Life and Literary Labors, Including a Selection from 
his Characteristic Speeches, Now for the First Time Gathered Together" 
"...To Which is Added 'In Memoriam' - By Charles Dickens and 'A Sketch,' 
by Anthony Trollope with Portrait and Illustrations" all wrapped up into 
one hellish title page.

In all, an account of William Makepeace Thackeray's life and literary 
accomplishments. Doesn't read like a biography, really, and recounts 
some topics with far more detail than others. Contains a considerable 
amount of wit in the writing and the author obviously doesn't revere 
Thackeray as an infallible god of literature.

The author of this tome "Theodore Taylor, Esq." is generally accepted as 
being John Camden Hotten; the author, editor, publisher, literary 
pirate, possibly blackmailer, and sometime pornographer of checkered repute.

A few small engravings at the front along with a facsimile of an 
autograph letter by Thackeray. Very small bookplate and a booksellers 
sticker.

Ex-library with ink stamps to the front pastedown and head edge of text 
block, slight adhesive from label removed from spine. Purple-brown cloth 
quite sunned on spine and head edge of front cover. Loss to the head and 
tail of spine. Tail corners bumped, head edge of back cover slightly 
dented. Foxing of the tissue cover for the frontis with some offsetting 
to the frontis. Owner inscription to front endpaper.

Clean inside, all hinges and joints are perfectly happy, and a decent G+ 
copy for dangerous environments like reading in the bath or your 
reference shelf.

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Chancellor, E. Beresford
The London of Thackeray
:Being Some Account of the Haunts of Thackeray's Characters
Grant Richards Limited, 1923, No edition stated, Hardcover, 8vo  8" - 9" 
tall, 263 pp., G+/

Describes, explains, and illustrates the places, people, businesses, and 
culture in the locales and settings of 28 of Thackeray's works. Has 16 
engraved black and white plates of street scenes and significant 
buildings. Foreword, List of Illustrations, and an extensive Index. 
Essential for understanding Thackeray's settings in their context.

Smooth green cloth on boards with gilt titles to spine and front. Text 
block uncut on fore and tail edges.

Ex-library with stamps to front endpaper and head of text block, 
evidence of sticker removal from spine and rear pastedown. Significant 
ding to head edge of back cover. Crease the length of the spine. 
Endpapers toned with a bit of offsetting.

Conservatively G+ for the ex-libbishness and external abuse, but quite 
clean, without significant wear, binding sound, and a very decent 
reading copy.

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Harden, Edgar F.
Thackeray's English Humourists and Four Georges
University of Delaware Press, 1985, Hardcover, 8vo  8" - 9" tall, 278 
pp., VG/ Lacks the dust jacket.

Analysis and criticism of Thackeray's English Humourists of the 
Eighteenth Century and The Four Georges, their historic content, their 
origin as public lectures, and their intended audiences. Includes a List 
of Abbreviations and Symbols, Preface, Notes on the Text, Afterword, 
Manuscript and Proof Sources, Other Documents, Appendix I: Working 
Papers for The Four Georges and MSS of George I, Appendix II: The 
Overall Composition of George IV, Notes, Select Bibliography, and Index.

Ex-library with slight adhesive from labels removed from spine and head 
edge of front cover. Inkstamps to head of text block and front 
pastedown. Sticker to front endpaper. Slightest rubbing to spine ends.

A very clean, bright copy. Knocked down to VG+ for it's ex-lib amenities.

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Mudge, Isadore Gilbert and Sears, M. Earl
A Thackeray Dictionary
Humanities Press, 1962, 1st Thus, Hardcover, 8vo  8" - 9" tall, 304 pp., VG/

The Characters and Scenes of the Novels and Short Stories Alphabetically 
Arranged. Essentially a dictionary of all things Thackeray: lists his 
written works and the characters, places, and events in them. Contains a 
Preface, Chronological List of Novels and Stories, Synopses, Authorities 
Cited in Dictionary, Index to Abbreviations, Dictionary, and Index to 
Originals. An exhaustive listing with a description or explanation of 
each entry. The 1962 reprint of the Routledge edition of 1910. Green 
cloth on boards, gilt title to spine.

Lacks the dust jacket. Ex-library with slight adhesive from a label 
removed from spine. Inkstamps to head of text block, front pastedown, 
and front endpaper. Sticker to front endpaper. Bump to tail corner of 
back cover, rubbed spine ends.

A clean copy with sharp corners. I'd consider this better than VG if not 
for the ex-lib adornments. An essential, authoritative reference to 
Thackeray's work.

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Crowe, Eyre
With Thackeray in America
Charles Scribners Sons, 1893, 1st Edition, Hardcover, 8vo  8" - 9" tall, 
179 pp., VG/

Eyre Crowe's account of William Makepeace Thackeray's 1892-1893 travels 
in the US. Crowe, a skilled British painter, served as Thackeray's 
secretary for the trip and recorded their journeys both in text and 
drawings. The result was a view of US life as rendered by a 
truly-fascinated Englishman.

Crowe recorded the proceedings of Congress, hospitality in the Southern 
states, slave markets, Boston, sledding, Baltimore, Thackeray's 
lectures, and all manner of daily doings. As a painter his topic matter 
tilted heavily toward social realism and he maintained this approach in 
documenting the American life he observed. Crowe was particularly struck 
by the injustice of slavery and its commerce in human lives: he sketched 
a slave sale, to the chagrin of threatening auctioneer and crowd, and 
that sketch served as the study for his famous painting "Slaves Waiting 
for Sale: Richmond Virginia." Crowe was, not the least, a keen observer 
of Thackeray himself and Thackeray's observations and reactions to the 
American culture he passed through.

All black and white drawings by Crowe. Tissue guarded frontis of 
Thackeray lecturing in New York, the famous sketch of the slave sale, 
and 115 more plates and cuts depicting scenes of Crowe's and Thackeray's 
journey. Nearly all are sketches, but an occasional etching by Crowe as 
well. In smooth green cloth over boards, gilt titles to spine and front. 
Preface, List of Illustrations, Index, publisher's catalog at back.

Bumps and wear to spine ends, head corners rubbed, tail corners worn, 
nick to joint. Tiny chip to head corner of front endpaper. Ex-library 
with a withdrawal inkstamp to the front pastedown and a small remnant of 
laid down pocket to the verso of the rear endpaper.

A significant work of observation, bolstered by the opinions of a 
cultured, yet realistic Englishman explaining by observation who we 
Americans are. Crowe's sketches abandon technical perfection for 
capturing the human quality of each scene he depicted. This book is 
still an important work, in my view. Clean and VG.

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Richie, Anne Thackeray [William Makepeace Thackeray]
Thackeray and His Daughter
:The Letters and Journals of Anne Thackeray Ritchie, with Many Letters 
of William Makepeace Thackeray
Harper & Brothers, 1924, Later Printing, Hardcover, Large 8vo  9" - 10" 
tall, 340 pp., VG/

The personal correspondence and journals of Anne Thackeray Ritchie, 
daughter of William Makepeace Thackeray. Provides a very revealing 
first-person account of her father's turbulent home and married life and 
the unusual circumstances of his children being raised by his own 
parents. The letters of both Anne and William show the workings of daily 
life, his and her writing, and their world views.

Includes previously-unpublished line drawings by both Anne and William, 
the latter's drawings accompanying facsimiles of his autograph letters. 
Includes a Preface by the Editor Hester Thackeray Richie, Anne's 
daughter. Sections include Principal Dates in the Life of Anne Thackeray 
Richie, letters written from 1837 through 1919, and an Appendix, that 
being a Chronological List of Lady Richie's Books.

Ex-library with evidence of a label being removed from the spine, ink 
stamps to head of text block and front pastedown. Spine ends bumped and 
somewhat worn, tail corners bumped, joints rubbed. Head edge of front 
cover sunned. Lacks the dust jacket.

Red cloth on boards, gilt title to spine. The "B-Y" line on the 
copyright page indicates printing in February (B) 1949 (Y). Internally 
clean and more presentable than VG- would suggest.

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Thackeray, William Makepeace
A Shabby Genteel Story
New York University Press, 1971, 1st Thus, Hardcover, Large 8vo  9" - 
10" tall, 103 pp., VG+/

Thackeray's early, unfinished, humorous farce about relationships and 
contemporary society. Not fully developed or complete, but ends at a 
logical point in the story. Includes the Author's brief explanation of 
why the work was left unfinished. Each chapter begins with an engraved 
cut illustration that functions as a dropped capital and incorporates 
the appropriate alphabetic letter: clever. Various engraved cuts throughout.

University library withdrawal stamp in ink on the front pastedown, 
library withdrawal stamp in ink to the head edge of the text block. 
Evidence of removal of a label at the upper left of front cover. Spine 
tail a bit rubbed. Lacks the dust jacket.

Reddish cloth over boards. Facsimile of the 1879 edition by Smith, 
Elder, & Co., London. Printed by Scolar Press Ltd., Menston, Yorkshire 
(UK). A tight, clean copy with sharp corners. Ex-lib, so graded VG+.

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Thackeray, William Makepeace
A Collection of Letters of Thackeray 1847-1855
Charles Scribners Sons, 1888, Unknown edition, Unknown printing, 
Hardcover, 12mo  7" - 7½" tall, 243 pp., VG/

A chronological printing of William Makepeace Thackeray's letters to his 
friends the Reverend W. H. (William Henry) and his wife Jane Octavia 
Brookfield. The Brookfields were friends to Alfred Lord Tennyson and 
Thomas Carlyle, as well as Thackeray. These letters from 1847 to 1855 
reveal the nature of Thackeray before the writing of Vanity Fair and 
subsequent fame. The author was living alone at that time, his wife 
stricken with illness, their two children living with his mother in 
Paris, and himself wracked with doubt and trouble. The letters and 
excerpts of letters between the friends show the supportive nature of 
the relationship and belief in his possibilities.

Includes a printed facsimile of an autograph letter from Thackeray 
including one of his numerous sketches showing a 'printer's devil' 
attempting to keep him from entering through a doorway. Introduction by 
Jane Octavia Brookfield. Indexed. 1888[1887]. Tissue cover over engraved 
pale green portrait of Thackeray on the title page. Thin dark-brown 
cloth over beveled boards. Gilt facsimile signature to front cover and 
gilt title to wine-colored spine label. Dark-brown pastedowns and endpapers.

Not intended to be an unbroken run of letters, but a representative 
selection that describes the man and his nature. His comments to his 
friends are often as if he was musing aloud to himself: "The dinner was 
exceedingly stupid...," "...the author makes an absurd brag of his 
twopenny learning...," "...a woman of great talents married to a stupid, 
generous, obstinate, devoted, heavy dragoon, thirty years her senior."

University library withdrawal stamp in ink on the front pastedown, faint 
library withdrawal stamp in ink to the head edge of the text block. 
Light rubbing to the edges of the hinges and corners, evidence of 
removal of a label at the tail of the spine, rough removal of a small 
label from the front endpaper leaving white paper showing on the 
dark-brown surface.

The often-lengthy letters are first person accounts of life in 
pre-Victorian London and serve well as primary source material for the 
historian. Essential reading for knowing how Thackeray's writing sprang 
from his own nature. Clean and a bit better than Very Good condition.

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  For in politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making
  proselytes by fire and sword. Heresies in either can rarely be cured
  by  persecution.
  - From the Federalist Papers

  I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by
  reorganizing, and what a wonderful method it can be for creating the
  illusion  of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, & 
demoralization.
  - Petronious Arbiter, Roman Emperor Nero's advisor on
    issues of luxury & extravagance