Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures

London: Bradbury, Evans, & Co, 1866. First edition. Leather. Very Good. 8.5" by 6.5". Charles Keene. A Zaehnsdorf bound first edition of Douglas William Jerrold's comical series of lectures, complete with a chromolithograph frontispiece. The first edition in book form.Bound by Zaehnsdorf.A comical series by Douglas William Jerrold.Illustrated with a chromolithograph frontispiece, and in-text illustrations throughout, by Charles Keene. These entertaining "lectures" were originally published in Punch, the character of Mrs. Caudle first appearing in 1845. She is portrayed as the archetypal nagging wife who is always telling her husband off for some reason or another.Jerrold was an English dramatic and writer, who coined the name of the Crystal Palace whilst writing about the forthcoming Great Exhibition. Ten pages of adverts to the rear.Collated, complete.From the library of W. A. Foyle at Beeleigh Abbey, with his morocco bookplate to the front paste down. William Foyle was the co-founder of Foyles bookshop, founding the leading bookshop in 1903 alongside his brother. He purchased Beeleigh Abbey during the Second World War, an impressive twelfth century monastery in Essex, which became home to his library, one the largest private libraries in England. In a full calf binding, bound by Zaehnsdorf. Externally, generally smart, with light rubbing to the leather. Spine is faded. Small chips to the spine labels. Hinges are starting but firm. Bookplate to the front paste down. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and clean with a few scattered spots. Very Good