Old Book Art » Literature & Poetry

Owen Jones: The History of Joseph and His Brethren

John — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:47:00 +0000

This is another book I posted to the gallery quite a while ago, but I never got around to making a post here on the main page.

Owen Jones (1809-1874) was a British architect, decorative artist, author and educator. Through his efforts to publish his findings on the historic use of colour in decoration, he also became one of the pioneers of chromolithography. He published many seminal and definitive works, including The Grammar of Ornament (1856), a highly influential book in ornamentation and decorative arts.

The borders alone make this illuminated book memorable, and the illustrations are wonderful too. These images come from a completely disbound and very discolored, spotted and darkened copy I came across. I had to do a lot of image enhancement after the initial scans, and while I have restored most of the luster there may be some distortion from the original shades. This is seen on some of the matched borders, which originally were identical but are now slightly different in some of the images.

In any case, the images and the borders could have a lot of uses, so feel free to download and use however you please. These are all public domain as I did all the scanning and manipulation myself from a pre 1900 book.

For anyone who is interested I have the raw, unedited, full pages as a separate sub-album. They are larger (and very dirty and ragged), so not as useful for most purposes.

The images are all in the GALLERY.

Title: The History of Joseph and His Brethren
Author: The Bible
Artist: Owen Jones
Publisher: Day & Son
Date Published: 1869

Here are a few sample images. As usual, each images links to the appropriate page in the gallery. Be sure to go to the GALLERY to see them all.

Joseph dreams of wheat

Jacob told his son is dead

Joseph pleases his master

Joseph interprets dreams

Joseph weeps

Jacob with Ephraim and Manasseh

Jacob’s funeral procession

The Mysteries of the Inquisition and Other Secret Societies of Spain

John — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 02:55:01 +0000

This title is quite scarce, if not actually rare, at least in English. First published in Europe in the 1840′s, these woodcut images were scanned from the 1845 American edition, likely the first edition in the U.S. but I am not sure. I am also unsure if these are all the images, as the book was damaged and missing few leaves of text. It did not look as though any illustration pages were missing, but the only bibliographic references I found were sketchy so it is hard to tell.

In the preface the translator writes “The following graphic and authentic descriptions of the incredible barbarities and wickedness of the Spanish Inquisition is written by a Roman Catholic. Whilst many of the characters who figure in the following story are fictitious, the author has adhered closely to facts in every thing relating to the usages of the horrid tribunal which he describes. The portrait of the monster is exact, but the drapery is artificial. The immense popularity of the work on the continent of Europe will surprise no one who peruses its pages. They present unquestionably the most thrilling exhibition of the atrocious wickedness of the Inquisition any where recorded, and this exposure is not the less remarkable, because it is offered by a Roman Catholic.” The basic plot involves a young priest who is the assistant to the Grand Inquisitor. As the young priest gains influence, it becomes evident that his motives are more than simply to help the inquisitor, help save the souls of those being tortured, or even to help himself. The horrors of the inquisition are detailed throughout the book.

Title: The Mysteries of the Inquisition and Other Secret Societies of Spain
Author: M. V. de Fereal
Artist: unknown – woodcuts
Publisher: J. B. Lippincott & Co.
Date Published: 1845

There are nine pictures from the book. Click on a thumbnail image below to go to that pictures page in the Gallery.

Abduction : Inquisitors capture a suspected heretic.

Breaking on the Wheel : A man is tied to the wheel to be broken. A priest records what he says. Another is there to perhaps pray for his soul, while the hooded torturers go about their cruel task.

Hung by the Wrists or Thumbs : Again, the work is done by men in hoods. The observers seem calm and happy, confident in the holy nature of their task.

Sword Play in a Fight for their Lives : A man an a woman fight with swords, trying to repel their own capture, knowing that there is no escape once imprisoned.

Trial by Burning and Fire : Again, a scribe is ready tro write down any confessions as the "heretic" has his feet stockaded and burned.

The Trial : The Grand Inquisitor and others sit in judgment as evidence and testimony is given, perhaps by the accused himself.

In the Cell : A condemned man receives a small amount of succor in his cell.

Hanging : Having been judged to have suffered enough to be "purified" a condemned man is put out of his hanging misery by the torturer.

Garrot : Yet another horrifying ordeal and death. The priest is of course there to tend to the soul.

Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight

John — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:19:42 +0000

One of the most popular poems of the 19th century, and reputedly a favorite of Queen Victoria, this work has fallen into relative obscurity. It went through countless editions, and this edition is notable for its many engravings.

Thorpe wrote this verse in trochaic heptameter, which has a very classic and dramatic cadence. I have included the entire text of the poem below the last image. I have scanned about 20 or 25 images in total from this book. Some samples are shown below. All of the images are available in this book’s album in the Gallery.

Title: Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight
Author: Rosa Hartwick Thorpe
Artist: F. T. Merrill and E. H. Garrett; Drawn and Engraved under the supervision of George T. Andrew
Publisher: Lee and Shepard
Date Published: 1882

Click an image to go directly to that picture’s page in the gallery album.

Cover Detail. Close up of the bell, with its rope, clapper and a decorative edging.

Frontispiece. The young woman Bessie dressed in fine clothes and jewels, bordered by cherubs and angels.

"With its walls so tall and gloomy" The prison tower set against the darkening sky.

"He with steps so slow and weary; she with sunny, floating hair" Bessie begs the sexton not to ring the bell.

"Doomed this very night to die" Basil Underwood sits in his prison cell.

"Curfew bell must ring to-night" The Sexton refuses.

"Left the old man coming slowly" The Sexton hobbles along, giving Bessie time to act.

"O'er her hangs the great dark bell" Bessie reaches the bell.

"And the sexton at the bell-rope, old and deaf, heard not the bell," "Sadly thought that twilight curfew rang young Basil's funeral knell."

"At his feet she tells her story" "Go! your lover lives," said Cromwell. "Curfew shall not ring to-night!"

Wide they flung the massive portals, led the prisoner forth to die, All his bright young life before him. Neath the darkening English sky,

"In his brave, strong arms he clasped her" "Darling, you have saved me, curfew will not ring to-night."

Curfew Must Not Ring Tonight

England’s sun was slowly setting oe’r the hilltops far away,
Filling all the land with beauty at the close of one sad day;
And its last rays kissed the forehead of a man and maiden fair,–
He with steps so slow and weary; she with sunny, floating hair;
He with bowed head, sad and thoughtful, she, with lips all cold and white,
Struggling to keep back the murmur, “Curfew must not ring to-night!”

“Sexton,” Bessie’s white lips faltered, pointing to the prison old,
With its walls so tall and gloomy, moss-grown walls dark, damp and cold,–
“I’ve a lover in the prison, doomed this very night to die
At the ringing of the curfew, and no earthly help is nigh.
Cromwell will not come till sunset;” and her lips grew strangely white,
As she spoke in husky whispers, “Curfew must not ring to-night!”

“Bessie,” calmly spoke the sexton (every word pierced her young heart
Like a gleaming death-winged arrow, like a deadly poisoned dart),
“Long, long years I’ve rung the curfew from that gloomy, shadowed tower;
Every evening, just at sunset, it has tolled the twilight hour.
I have done my duty ever, tried to do it just and right:
Now I’m old, I will not miss it. Curfew bell must ring to-night!”

Wild her eyes and pale her features, stern and white her thoughtful brow,
As within her secret bosom, Bessie made a solemn vow.
She had listened while the judges read, without a tear or sigh,
“At the ringing of the curfew, Basil Underwood must die.”
And her breath came fast and faster, and her eyes grew large and bright;
One low murmur, faintly spoken. “Curfew must not ring to-night!”

She with quick step bounded forward, sprang within the old church-door,
Left the old man coming slowly, paths he’d trod so oft before.
Not one moment paused the maiden, But with eye and cheek aglow,
Staggered up the gloomy tower, Where the bell swung to and fro;
As she climbed the slimy ladder, On which fell no ray of light,
Upward still, her pale lips saying, “Curfew shall not ring to-night!”

She has reached the topmost ladder, o’er her hangs the great dark bell;
Awful is the gloom beneath her, like the pathway down to hell.
See! the ponderous tongue is swinging; ’tis the hour of curfew now,
And the sight has chilled her bosom, stopped her breath, and paled her brow.
Shall she let it ring? No, never! Her eyes flash with sudden light,
As she springs, and grasps it firmly: “Curfew shall not ring to-night!”

Out she swung,– far out. The city Seemed a speck of light below,–
There twixt heaven and earth suspended, As the bell swung to and fro.
And the sexton at the bell-rope, old and deaf, heard not the bell,
Sadly thought that twilight curfew rang young Basil’s funeral knell.
“Still the maiden, clinging firmly, quivering lip and fair face white,
Stilled her frightened heart’s wild throbbing: “Curfew shall not ring tonight!”

It was o’er, the bell ceased swaying; and the maiden stepped once more
Firmly on the damp old ladder, where, for hundred years before,
Human foot had not been planted. The brave deed that she had done
Should be told long ages after. As the rays of setting sun
Light the sky with golden beauty, aged sires, with heads of white,
Tell the children why the curfew did not ring that one sad night.

O’er the distant hills comes Cromwell. Bessie sees him; and her brow,
Lately white with sickening horror, has no anxious traces now.
At his feet she tells her story, shows her hands, all bruised and torn;
And her sweet young face, still haggard, with the anguish it had worn,
Touched his heart with sudden pity, lit his eyes with misty light.
“Go! your lover lives,” said Cromwell. “Curfew shall not ring to-night!”

Wide they flung the massive portals, led the prisoner forth to die,
All his bright young life before him. Neath the darkening English sky,
Bessie came, with flying footsteps, eyes aglow with lovelight sweet;
Kneeling on the turf beside him, laid his pardon at his feet.
In his brave, strong arms he clasped her, kissed the face upturned and white,
Whispered, “Darling, you have saved me, curfew will not ring to-night.”

Paul Woodroffe: Songs from Shakespeare

John — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:24:20 +0000

Woodroffe made these illustrations in the late 19th century. The text is straight Shakespeare, selected and edited by Rhys. The initial scans came through quite age toned. It was difficult to correct, as some of the detail kept getting lost, so I have included both the raw scans as well as the edited versions in the GALLERY for this book.

Woodroffe was a prolific illustrator of the period. His work included a lot of Shakespeare, Bible stories, children’s books, and the like.

I have put the accompanying text with some of the illustrations.

The book, including lower resolution scans of these pictures, is fully digitzed HERE.

Title: Songs from the Plays of Shakespeare
Author: William Shakespeare, Ernest Rhys (editor)
Illustrator: Paul Woodroffe
Publisher: The Guild of Women-Binders
Date Published: 1901

The Images below all link to the gallery where they are available for free download in many high resolution sizes of JPEG files.

YOU spotted snakes, with double tongue,
Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;
Newts and blind-worms do no wrong,
Come not near our fairy Queen!

Weaving spiders, come not here;
Hence, you long-legg’d spinners, hence!
Beetles black, approach not near;
Worm nor snail, do no offence.

Philomel, with melody
Sing in our sweet lullaby;
Lulla, lulla, lullaby, Lulla, lulla, lullaby:
Never harm
Nor spell nor charm
Come our lovely lady nigh:
So, Good Night, with lullaby.

IT was a lover and his lass,
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
That o’er the green corn-field did pass,
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding;
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye,
These pretty country folks would lie.

This carol they began that hour,
How that life was but a flower:

And, therefore, take the present time
With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino;
For love is crown`d with the prime
In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,
When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding:
Sweet lovers love the spring.

Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more, -
Men were deceivers ever,
One foot in sea and one on shore,
To one thing constant never:
- Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny;
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into, Hey nonny, nonny.

Sing no more ditties, sing no mo,
Or dumps so dull and heavy;
The fraud of men was ever so,
Since summer first was leafy.
- Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into, Hey, nonny, nonny.

Come unto these yellow sands

Lawn as white as driven snow

When shepherds pipe on oaten straws

Blow, blow, thou winter wind

When icicles hand by the wall

Full fathom five thy father lies

Take, O, take those lips away

How should I your true love know

Orpheus with his lute made trees

Detail 1

Detail 2

Detail 3

John Sartain: Friendship’s Offering 1848

John — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:27:58 +0000

Friendship’s Offering was an annual anthology that appeared for at least a few decades in the mid 19th century, starting in the early 1820′s. Regular contributors and editors over the years included Mary Shelley, M. A. Browne, Mary Roberts, Alicia Jane Sparrow, Grace Aguilar and others who wrote either under their own name or anonymously. Often, instead of by name authors were identified as “Author of ‘Reveries of the Sanctum’” or some other piece.

At some point, John Sartain started contributing illustrations, often engravings of famous works by classical artists (sculptors, painters, etc.). Sartain was a pioneer of American engraving, influencing almost all who came after him. He introduced the use of mezzotints in America, and I am fairly sure the engravings in this book are in that style. If not, they are closely related.

Some editions are available, complete with low quality Sartain plates, at Google Books. The 1852 edition is HERE. The 1855 edition HERE.

Title: Friendship’s Offering, A Christmas, New Year, and Birthday Present for MDCCCXLVIII
Author: Miss M. A. Browne, Mrs. Abdy, Calder Campbell, Esq., Anonymous, Miss Louisa H. Sheridan, N. Michell, Esq., Miss M. G. Wells, Lord Morpeth, E. Scaife, THe Hon. Charles Phipps, Fay Robinson, Mrs. Sutton.
Artist: John Sartain
Publisher: Phillips and Sampson
Date Published: 1848

The images below link to the gallery page where they can be downloaded in high resolution JPEG format. They have all been edited for aging and discoloration. I have included very large (3000 pixel) copies of these engravings.

Canova: Dancing Girl Reposing

Lawrence: Title Vignette

Court: The Cage

Wright: Our Cottage Home

Court: Mary

Wright: Alexina

Parris: The Roman Sisters

Wright: The Harvesters

Corbould: The Earthquake

Evelyn Paul: Dante’s La Vita Nuova

John — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:04:30 +0000

Evelyn Paul lived in the late 19th and the early 20th century and worked to beautifully illuminate and illustrate many books. Many had art with Christian themes such as this, but her work was much broader as well. Most if not all of her work was done in the first quarter of the 20th century. Many people feel that she did her best work for the books (such as La Vita Nuova) put out by Harrap. Because the text is available elsewhere, I have not scanned or included that much here. The complete texts and illustrations of this as well as some of the other manuscripts she illuminated are available (off this site) CLICK HERE.

I have included two versions of most images. The paper and colors were fairly age toned, so I removed some of this. I tried to fix any color distortion or brightness issues, but I cannot say how well teh touched up images reflect the original state of the illustrations. The only copies I have seen have been similarly ages. Some images, such as the angel from page 115, I have posted in a few versions to reflect the colors brought out by different edits.

The edited full page illustrations I have posted at a much larger size than usual, 3000 pixels on the long side. I am not sure why. I guess I had them so I decided to put them up for folks to have.

There are a lot of margin details. I scanned as much as I could from various pages. Paul added intricate detail to almost all the pages, so there is a lot to work with in the book. Some have had edited versions added as well.

Below is a sampling. There is a lot more in the GALLERY for this book.

Title: La Vita Nuova (The New Life)
Author: Dante Alighieri
Artist: Evelyn Paul
Publisher: George G. Harrap / Brentanos
Date Published: 1916

Title Page

Page 9

Page 14

Page 27

Page 31

Page 43

Page 49

Page 59

Page 75

Page 83

Page 93

Page 101

Page 127

Page 137Page 144

Page 157

Page 165

Page 116 Detail - Zodiac Mandala

Page 115 Detail - Angel

Page 70 Detail - Two Men in a Garden

Page 164 Detail - Circle and Star Design

Page 111 Detail

Page 111 Detail - Unedited

Page 120

Page 135 - Madonna and Child

Page 5 Detail

Page 12 Detail

Page 37 Detail

Phiz: The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club

John — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 15:40:00 +0000

As with some other images, I was surprised that good quality reproductions of images by Phiz (Hablot Knight Browne) were not more readily available for free. Being public domain and all, and having existed for almost 200 years, one would think they would be easier to find. He illustrated a number of Charles Dickens’ works, and although I found some samples on the internet there are few if any complete collections. This is a start, at least.

The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, AKA The Pickwick Papers, was published serially in 1836-1837, and the first complete edition soon followed. I must confess that I have never read the complete book. The chapters are related, but reflecting their origin the are able to be read and enjoyed individually to a degree.

There is a good biography of Phiz at The Victorian Web.

These images are from a late 19th century reprint, although there were seemingly hundreds of editions produced from the mid 19th century and on (I’m sure someone has tallied them all). The entire book (an early 20th century edition) is digitized at Google Books HERE.

Title: The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club
Author: Charles Dickens
Artist: Phiz
Publisher: Chapman and Hall
Date Published: 1836

Below is a sampling of the images I have made available for free in the GALLERY. There are 43 image in total, all available for download at no cost in various high resolution sizes.

Frontispiece

Vignette Title Detail

Winkle Soothes the Refractory Mare

The Fat Boy Awake

Wardle and His Friends Under the Influence of The Salmon

The Unexpected Breaking-Up the Seminary of the Seminary for Young Ladies

Pickwick in the Pound

The Goblin and the Sexton

The Red-Nosed Man Discourseth

The Ghostly Passengers in the Ghost of a Mail

The Rival Editors

Weller and his Friends Drinking to Mr. Pell

A. F. Lydon: Life & Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

John — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:59:56 +0000

Robinson Crusoe certainly ranks up there as one of the favorite books for publishers to reissue with new illustrations. The adventure, the scenery, and the familiarity with the story seem to guarantee an audience no matter the era. Daniel de Foe wrote the book in the early 18th century (1719), and I don’t think anyone knows how many editions there have been, nor how many well known illustrators have taken on the challenge of presenting the material in a new light over the subsequent 290 years.

Google has digitized many versions, although none with good illustration reproductions of course. You can, however, browse the various editions to get an idea of the different illustrative styles. HERE is a Google Books example from 1831, a Cochrane and Pickersgill edition, where the entire text is accessible.

Alexander Frank Lydon (1836-1917) was a British artist who produced a lot of natural history work, including parrots, other birds, and fish among much else. His prints and books with his work show up frequently on eBay at fairly reasonable prices. Here is a list of current Lydon items for sale there.

Grooombridge put out this edition in the mid 19th century and I believe it went through at least a few printings over a number of years, but I am not certain. The images below will link to the gallery where all the illustrations from the book are available for free in various high resolution sizes. I have edited and cleaned up most of them.

Title: The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
Author: Daniel de Foe
Artist: A. F. Lydon
Publisher: Groombridge and Sons
Date Published: circa 1865

Robinson Crusoe with his dog and gun

Robinson Crusoe leaves home and is shipwrecked

Robinson Crusoe by means of a raft saves many useful articles from the ship

Robinson Crusoe erects a post on the shore

Robinson Crusoe taking a survey of the Island

Robinson Crusoe awakened from sleep by his parrot

Robinson Crusoe at dinner with his little family

Robinson Crusoe frightened by a goat in a cave

Robinson Crusoe rescuing Friday from the savages

Robinson Crusoe and Friday attacking the savages

Robinson Crusoe surprising the three Englishmen

Friday teaching the bear to dance

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