The Comic Almanack

£32.50

The Comic Almanack

Name: The Comic Almanack
Brand: Broadhursts Books
SKU: 5198
Price: 32.50 GBP
Availability: InStock

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The Comic Almanack: An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Second Series 1844–1853, William Makepeace Thackeray, Albert Smith, Gilbert A. Beckett, and The Brothers Mayhew — N/A

Publication: London, Chatto and Windus, c. 1874

Formatting: 8vo, pp. 428.

Condition Report: Fair. The original publisher's green cloth binding exhibits significant wear, most notably with splitting and fraying along the entire length of the front joint and partial cracking to the rear joint. The spine is heavily sunned, resulting in a distinct darkening of the cloth, with prominent rubbing, chipping, and cloth loss at both the head and tail. The gilt tooling and lettering on the front board remain relatively bright, though the board edges and corners show characteristic bumping and abrasion. Internally, the heavy text block is securely attached but slightly shaken, and the preliminary pages, including the title page and frontispiece, display moderate to heavy scattered foxing and age-toning, which continues intermittently throughout the margins of the text.

Catalogue Note: This is a later 19th-century combined edition of the Second Series of The Comic Almanack, originally issued in nineteen separate annual parts between 1835 and 1853. Published by Chatto and Windus shortly after they acquired the rights to the series from John Camden Hotten in the early 1870s, this volume collects the almanacks spanning from 1844 to 1853.

The work is profusely illustrated with "many hundred" quintessential engravings and cuts by the celebrated caricaturist George Cruikshank and other artists, capturing the vibrant and satirical essence of Victorian society. This edition retains the publisher's blind-stamped green cloth binding with Cruikshank's signature reproduced in gilt on the front board. Copies of this Chatto and Windus reprint appear with relative frequency on the open market, though they are frequently found with significant structural wear to the original cloth due to the unwieldy, thick text block.

A delightful encapsulation of Victorian wit and whimsy, The Comic Almanack parodies the traditional, serious educational almanacs of the era. Featuring humorous poetry, merry tales, and societal satire from literary heavyweights such as William Makepeace Thackeray and the Brothers Mayhew, the text is brought to life by the masterful, eccentric illustrations of George Cruikshank. It remains a fascinating and highly entertaining window into 19th-century British humour and daily life.

Book Condition: Fair

Book Authors: William Makepeace Thackeray, Albert Smith, Gilbert A. Beckett, The Brothers Mayhew

Book Publisher: Chatto and Windus

Book Language: English

Narrative Type: Antiquarian

Genre: Humour

Book edition:

Signed: No

Book Pages: 428

Book Publication Year:

Book Publication Date:

Book Binding: Hardcover

Illustrator: George Cruikshank

Book Series:

Country/region of manufacture: London, United Kingdom

Book Dimensions:

Book Condition Guide

We stock thousands of books in a wide range of conditions. To make things clear and to help you know exactly what to expect, Please refer to these condition categories to understand the condition of the book you will receive.

Condition	Description
New	A brand-new, unread and professionally handled book. Carefully preserved from publication to purchase, these books are offered in the best attainable condition. This grade applies to recently published titles that have not entered long-term storage.
As New	The book is in pristine, original condition as if just published. No signs of use or handling. The dust jacket (if present) is equally flawless. This grade applies to any book that has remained untouched in storage for years.
Fine	The book is close to As New. It remains bright and attractive, but could show minor imperfections to the boards and/or dust jacket (if present). Its pages are typically clean and unmarked.
Near Fine	The book has a number of small flaws, i.e. slight rubbing to the edges, or tiny chips or creases to the dust jacket (if present). Its pages may have faint marks, or creases that are barely perceptible — nothing that detracts from their overall condition.
Very Good	The book maintains its structural integrity, and has no major flaws such as tears to its binding or pages. It may, however, show signs of careful use, handling, or storage — small marks and creases, light foxing. Its dust jacket (if present) remains fully intact, but small tears may be present.
Good	A book that remains intact and readable with complete text pages, but shows moderate signs of wear and use to both the book and dust jacket (if present). It may have noticeable creases, nicks, or stains, and the spine likely shows fading, bumping, and rubbing. There could be writing, underlining, and other marks on some pages, though the majority will be clean and tidy.
Fair	A book with significant wear or damage. The text pages will be complete, but there may be heavy underlining, highlighting and staining throughout, and the book’s endpapers, half-title, and copyright pages could be damaged or missing. The binding could be loose, and the dust jacket (if present) may have notable scuffs or tears. These copies are usually of interest for content, signature(s) or scarcity.
Poor	A heavily worn book whose value lies in its complete and legible text. A poor book will have substantial defects — loose joints or hinges, detached covers, loose and/or missing pages, and could be heavily soiled. A poor book is also known as a reading copy, and although compromised, can hold historical or bibliographic significance.