"An elderly man walks, stooping, in profile to the left, two large books under the left arm, an umbrella under the right, a walking-stick in his right hand. Books project from his coat-pocket. He wears high boots, a cocked hat, his queue is in a bag. Behind is the door of a shop, inscribed 'G. Riebau'. Part of the adjoining shop-window (left) is visible, inscribed '[A]uctioner. 439'. Against the panes are books, prints, and a notice: 'Old Books bought'. A placard hangs outside the window: 'Price 6 \ Imparti[al] Life of Paine.' (A pamphlet, 'Impartial Memoirs of the Life of Thomas Paine', was published in 1793.) Beneath the design:'Stop gentle Reader, and behold A Beau in Boots, who loves his Gold; A Walking bookseller, an Epicure, A Teacher, Doctor, & a Connoissieur. Alias Doctor V------ in his Wrigling attitude, hawking old Books as Moses does old Cloaths.''--British Museum online catalogue, description of later state
Alternative Title:
Dr. Verdion and Doctor Verdion
Description:
Title above image: Wonderful magazine., The bookseller is identified as Theodora Grahn (1744-1802) who used the pseudonym, “Baron de Verdion” in Germany and after moving to London around 1770 used the name Dr. John de Verdion and worked as a language teacher, translator, and seller of antiquarian books, coins, and medals. See British Museum online catalogue., From the Wonderful Magazine, v. 1, page 406., State without the bookshop's name above the door., Six lines of text below image: A remarkable walking bookseller, quack docter [sic], &c, &c. ..., and Earlier state, with misspelling in the text below image, of No. 8371 in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 7.
Publisher:
Gratis to the purchasers of the Wonderful magazine, pubd. by C. Johnson
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Grahn, Theodora, 1744-1802,
Subject (Topic):
Bookstores, Quacks, Staffs (Sticks), Umbrellas, and Window displays
"A trade token issued by the famed bookseller James Lackington (1746-1815), the same year he opened the Temple of the Muses, 'one of the wonders of London' (Oxford DNB); with reputedly a million books on display, it was at the time the biggest bookshop in the world. Tokens such as these were issued in many places in England in the late eighteenth century, when the government failed to mint enough copper coinage for the conduct of business. According to Oxford DNB, Lackington issued thousands of such tokens, which were only valid at his shop. All were struck by Lutwyche of Birmingham."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title from text on reverse side of item, which surrounds image of an angel blowing a trumpet., Obverse side with a portrait of Lackington and the text: J. Lackington 1794., and For further information, consult library staff.
Publisher:
Lackington, Allen and Co and Lutwyche
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Lackington, James, 1746-1815, and Lackington, Allen and Co.
