A presentation album of sketches by John Leech

Lot description

LEECH, JOHN A bound collection of nine pencil sketches by Leech. Period brown calf, six card leaves on guards, all edges gilt. 6 3/8 x 5 inches (16.5 x 12.75 cm); with nine pencil sketches by Leech ranging in size from 2 1/4 x 3 1/2 inches to 4 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches; with three titles and three captions in the hand of Leech, and a presentation inscription on the flyleaf reading "To George Turner Phillips Esqre. with John Leech Senr's most sincere regards, August 25th 1870." Light wear to binding, some sketches rubbed or slightly soiled. The subjects of the sketches include the following: 1. Three young scholars gathered around a table placing bets, entitled "Arithmetic at the University" and accompanied by the caption: "I say Frank my boy—If Throuncer is at 5 to 2 and Nutshell at 3 to 1 what's the betting against the pair of them? I'm sure I don't know—Take you 6 to 1." 2. Two ladies and a young boy in top hat, seen strolling from the rear. 3. A young lady playing the harp while her mother consoles her young brother, entitled "We all have our troubles" and accompanied by the caption: "Here's Ma says I must wear turn-down collars till Christmas and there's young Sidney Boelwer (who's not half so tall as I am) has had stick-ups and white chokers ever so long." 4. A man seated at a desk piled up with fishing tackle, avidly reading a book. 5. A portrait of a thin, worried-looking Benjamin Disraeli. 6. A fat Hussar astride a small pony, peering through a telescope. 7. Two gentlemen, one young, tall and haughty, the other older and stouter, entitled "Distressing—very!" and accompanied by the caption: "X.42. 'Did you call the police Sir?' Shell (who would rather perish than disturb his shirt collar) 'Ya-es, a —I've had the misfortune to drop my umbrallaw, and there isn't a boy within a mile to pick it up—a—will you have the goodness?'' 8. Two seated men, one discoursing from a long sheet of paper, the other—a portly gentleman—scratching his bald head in bewilderment. 9. A dummy for a title page for "Punch's Pocket Book 1846." At the end of the volume is a carte-de-visite size photograph of Leech, leaning against a bookcase.