Nieuwejaars Heil-En Zegenwensch, Eerbiedig Opgedragen Aan de Edel-Achtbare Heeren Burgomeester en Wethouderen en Verdere Ingezetenen van Utrecht, Door de Lantaarnopstekers Bij den Aanvang van het Jaar 1857 [caption title]

[Utrecht, 1857. Illustrated broadside, 17 x 13.75 inches, with large illustration at top printed in black, and title and body text printed in gold in three columns. Old folds, minor toning around edges, a few short closed tears, two small repairs on verso to short line separations, light surface wear and soiling. Overall very good. A rare lamplighters' address, akin to the American postal carrier's address, issued by the "Lantaarnopstekers" of Utrecht on New Year's Day, 1857. The illustration at top shows a lamplighter in the midst of his work, carrying a ladder and basket of tools to the next street lamp in a handsome Utrecht neighborhood. The remainder of the broadside, consisting of the lengthy title and three-column poem in six eight-line stanzas, is printed entirely in gold. The poem is, naturally, almost entirely a celebration of light, the sun, and fire. The work is dedicated to the mayor, aldermen, and residents of Utrecht, located in the central part of the Netherlands. OCLC reports two slightly later examples of New Year's addresses by night watchmen, but nothing from lamplighters.