The Ingoldsby Legends – 1840 – Richard Harris Barham | First Edition, Cruikshank Illustrations

The 1840 first edition of Richard Harris Barham’s The Ingoldsby Legends or Mirth and Marvels by Thomas Ingoldsby Esquire. This highly sought-after collection of humorous gothic tales includes the iconic comic artwork of the beloved George Cruikshank, John Leech and Robert Buss! Some of the most memorable Ingoldsby stories are included in this volume, such as, “The Spectre of Tappington,” “The Hand of Glory,” and “The Jackdaw of Rheims.” Originally serialized in Bentley’s Miscellany, this volume would be the first in what would evolve into a three-part series. The later second and third series were published in separate volumes in 1842 and 1847.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Ingoldsby Legends or Mirth and Marvels by Thomas Ingoldsby Esquire.
• Authors: Richard Harris Barham (Thomas Ingoldsby)
• Illustrator: George Cruikshank; John Leech; Robert Buss
• Publisher: London: Richard Bentley, 1840
• Edition: First Edition, 1840.
• Binding: Red Quarter-Leather
• Format: Octavo (8mo), single volume
• Size: ~ 8 in × 5.25 in (20.5 cm × 13.5 cm)
• Collation: [2], v, [3], 338, [2] pp.
• Illustrations: Six engraved plates plus an engraved title page
• Contents Include:

• The Spectre of Tappington
• The Hand of Glory
• The Jackdaw of Rheims
• A Lay of St. Nicholas
• …and other tales

• Provenance: Armorial bookplate of Henry [illegible], Esq.
• Reference(s): Cohn 50; Sadleir 156 b/e/f​

Condition:

Good. Original red quarter-leather binding remains secure with delicate yet stable hinges. Moderate foxing is present, primarily affecting areas around engraved plates and flyleaves, pages otherwise clean and complete.

Why Collect This?

• First edition (First Series, 1840), preceding later expanded volumes
• Early examples of Victorian comic illustrations by Cruikshank and Leech

Item Number: #41729