Jubilee of 1809, The

London: John Fairburn, [1809]. Exceptionally Rare in the Original Pink Paper Wrappers
Initialed by George Cruikshank on the Front Wrapper

[CRUIKSHANK, George]. The Jubilee of 1809, containing a poetical epistle, from John Lump, to his brother in Yorkshire. Also an account of the grand entertainment at Cabbage Merchants' hall. With songs… By the author of the Whale!! With a coloured Caricature Print of two of the celebrated City Chaunters. London, John Fairburn, [n.d., 1809].

First edition of this anti-ministerial satire in verse and prose.

Octavo (8 5/8 x 5 1/2 inches; 219 x 140 mm.). 28 pp. Folding hand colored (truncated) etched frontispiece in two sections "Col. Patty-Pan" & "Sir John Sugar-Stick" dated "October 1809".

Publisher's plain pink wrappers, front cover with the ink initials of George Cruikshank. Front wrapper and folding frontispiece detached. Frontispiece a little stained and with some tears at fold, wrappers slightly chipped at extremities.
Still a very good copy of a very rare and fragile Cruikshank item.

"G. Cruikshank informed Reid that the whole of this plate, with the exception of the faces and hands, was his unaided work. The Widener copy is autographed: By Isaac Cruikshank, some parts by me, Geo. Cruikshank." (Cohn, p. 135).

The work is a violent satire on Birch, who was a pastry-cook, in Cornhill, and Eames, a grocer, who were both volunteer officers

"The folding frontispiece to The Jubilee, Alias Jew Belly, of 1809, contains two designs divided by a vertical line.

1. Alderman Birch, wearing uniform with cocked hat, gorget, boots, and apron, with a birch-rod in place of a sword, sells pies from a basket on legs, forming a portable stall. At his waist is a paper inscribed No Popery. A ragged, dwarfish, and deformed man (right), with a bundle of (?) matches, holds a coin as if about to spin it; he looks up at Birch, who cries Up & Win'em, asking Did you cry vomans [the reverse of a coin] vat your'e fond of.

2. Alderman Earner (not Eames) stands behind a counter, similarly dressed, but wearing shoes and wrinkled stockings, and with a stick of sugar-cane in place of a sword. He weighs out tea for an old woman in a red cloak (left) who says: a Quarter of an Ounce of Tea Dust directly. He answers: Don't hurry me woman I'm Sir John. On the floor on a pile of Waste Paper is an open book: Preachee and Floggee too… Other papers are inscribed Wood Street. Behind him are large canisters and sugar-loaves." (British Museum).

Exceptionally rare in the original wrappers. This copy appeared at Parke-Bernet Galleries, NY. [Property of Mrs. Leslie Chaundy] February 18/19th, 1942.

(Patten I, 45.- Cohn, 457. (Inventory #: 05580)