George Cruickshank The Comic Almanack is for sale. The Comic Almanack has Illustrations by George Cruickshank and others with contributions from Thackeray, Albert Smith, and The Brothers Mayhew. There are two volumes for sale. The first volume is dated 1835 to 1843 and is noted on the Title Page as being the First Series; and the second volume is dated 1844 to 1853 and is noted on the Title Page as being the Second Series. Both volumes have dark green boards with gilt lettering and illustrations to the front and the spines.

The First Series (1835-1843) boards are in Very Good condition being very clean with very light marks to the front and more prominent marks to the back board; a small closed tear to the top of the spine (barely noticeable) and slight knocks to the base of the spine. This is a very attractive binding for this rare first series.
The Second Series (1844-1853) has damp staining to the front and back boards; with the gilt lettering and decoration to the front and spine being very bright.
The First Series (1835-1843) has 388 numbered pages for the first series and 32 pages of advertisements to the end of the book, dated to the first page of advertisements March 1896.

The pages are in overall Very Good condition with some spotting to the earlier leaves but getting progressively less as you progress through the book; the tissue guard is loosely inserted; and a small retailer’s label applied to the rear pastedown. This volume is packed with one page and smaller illustrations by George Cruickshank and other artists.

The Second Series (1844-1853) has 428 numbered pages with 32 numbered pages to the large catalogue at the end of the book which is dated May 1901. This book also contains great one-page and smaller illustrations by George Cruickshank and other artists, and additionally a 5 fold-out illustrations, which includes:

Probable Effects of Over Female Emigration (Frontispiece)
The Preparatory School For Young Men (after page 250)
As It Ought To Be, Or The Ladies Trying a Contemptible Scoundrel For Breach of Promise (after page 302)
The “Bloomers” in Hyde Park , or an Extraordinary Exhibition for 1852 (after page 358)
“The Rights of Women” or the Effects of Female Enfranchisement (after page 384)

Foxing throughout, some cracks to internal hinges, but pages still bound in; a closed teat to page 301/302 with no loss; damp staining to the rear endpapers; a small retailer’s label to the rear pastedown; a crack to the hinge to the back board (cosmetic since still firmly on and mentioned for completeness); and a number of the pages are still unopened after all these years/decades. Overall the pages are in Very Good condition.