Grant

C. J. Grant.

(Charles Jameson Grant), is an important, and until recently, much overlooked caricaturist whose most important work came from the early and mid 1830’s. There are a large section of both prints and a long article in the reference section of this web site. Below are a number of Grant’s works offered for sale.

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	C. J. Grant. THE SINNERS BEFORE SAINT ANDREW. (The Political Drama No.6). Printed and Published by G. Drake, 12, Houghton-street, Clare-market. 12½ x 9¼. Uncoloured woodcut with large margins. Foxing on the margins and a vertical and central printers crease. c.1833. The ‘Political; Drama’ series were the most important series of Grant’s work. There were 131 prints issued in this series, the first seven dealt with the proposed, ‘Sabbath Bill’, which was set to drastically control activities on the Sabbath. The sinners in this print are Wellington, Peel and others, the finish of the admonishment is; “Therefore I say unto you all, six days shalt thou lie and swear, and rob and plunder, and cheat, and tax and tithe, and worry and distress the people, and do any abomination that you can afford to do, but the seventh day thou shalt do no manner of good, but turn up your eyes and pray that you may have cunning to continue the same abuses without being found out.” Not in the B. M. volumes as post 1832. £140.
	C. J. Grant. THE FIVE PLAGUES OF THE COUNTRY. (Political Drama No.19). Printed and Published by G. Drake, 12, Houghton Street, Clare Market. (c.1833). 13¾ x 8. Wood engraving and with reasonable margins. This is a radical interpretation of the ‘four alls’ or the ‘five alls’ that have a long tradition in caricature. Above each of the figures is written; I govern the people. I pray for the people. I legislate for the people. I fought for the people. I preserve the peace for all four. And above the devil on the extreme right is; And I’ll have all five. Not in the B. M. as post 1832. £160.
	G. J. Grant. (The) ITINERANT CHANCELLOR. (Published and Printed) by G. Drake, 12 Houghton Street, Clare Market. 9¼ x 14. Wood engraving. Loss as can be seen from the illustration. A caricatured Brougham says, “I flatter myself I’ve made a tolerable good job by my Starring it with Old Grey in the North ! – Sold all my numbers of the Penny Magazine, and well puff’d it through every Town I went. – Made little less than One Hundred Speeches about - I forget now - - - Divided the Applause with the ex-Premier. - - - Received score of Burgesses, Freedoms, and Invitations to as many Dinners, where I blew my own Trumpet, and obtained plenty of orders for our Useful Knowledge Society ! Now woe be to the Unstamp’d when I get home ! ____ I must have a good scrub at my skin resently; I reckon I have got a taste of the FIDDLE through my ITCH for Traveling !” Not in the B. M. as post 1832. £45.
	C. J. Grant. THE MODERN PURITAN. Hanging a Cat on a Monday for Killing a Mouse on a Sunday. (Political Drama. No.2). Printed and Published by G. Drake 12 Houghton St, Clare Market. 14 x 9½. Wood engraving with original colour and reasonable margins. Loss below the image lower left. It is very rare to find examples of this series with original / contemporary colour. I bought a collection of Grant’s from the Klinginder collection. All have the same feel regarding the colour but whether it was coloured by the publisher, by Grant, or by a professional colourist at the time is unknown. The first six of the ‘Political Drama’ dealt with the proposed 'Sabbath Bill' the title explains the image. Not in the B. M. volumes as post 1832. £325.
	C. J. Grant. EVERY BODY’S ALBUM. No.3 February 1st 1834. Published by J. Kendrick, 54 corner of Sydney Court Leicester Square. 10½ x 17. Lithograph. Central fold and tears top left and right and lower right. – No, paper loss. Apart from the ‘Political Drama’ this series of ‘Every Body’s Album’ was the longest running series that Grant produced and in total there were 39 issues. It is clearly based on McLean’s ‘Monthly Sheet of Caricatures’ and was social rather than political. Often there were satires on the social aspirations of the working and middle classes. The top half of this design is, “The Century of Invention, Anno Domini 2000. Or the March of Aerostation Steam, Rail Roads, Moveable Houses, & Perpetual Motion !!!!” is one of many ‘Invention satires’ of the late 1820’s and early 30’s. Not in B. M. as post 1832. c.1834. £60.
	C. J. Grant. EVERY BODY’S ALBUM. No.7. April 1st 1834. Published by J. Kendrick 54 Leicester Square. 10½ x 17. Lithograph with slight marks at the top right. The middle section is, ‘The Easter Cockney Stag Hunt ! --- The Goddess Diana Squalls aloud at the Chace ---’ Not in the B. M. as post 1832. c.1834. £100.
	Grant also worked for many of the mainstream caricature publishers in the late 1820/s and early 30’s.A few items are below.
	C. J. Grant. FEAKS OF FANCY ! No.8 (above the image), A BAIT. (beneath). Published by S. Gans, 1830. Southampton Street, Strand. 8 x 11. Lithograph with original colour and good margins. Under the title is, ‘Lawk how; I shou’d like to catch a Gudgeon !!!’ Not in the B. M. £160.
	C. J. Grant. INSNARING THE PRESTON COCK – a Backyard Scene. Published by M. Clarke Castle Court, Birchin Lane, Cornhill. April 20th 1831. 14 x 10. Original colour. Trimmed to the border and slight loss lower right corner. Creases and surface marks and small tear at the top. Various Tories led by Wellington emptying a purse of guineas try to entice the Preston Cock. Cobbett had called Hunt the ‘Preston Cock’ during the election as his flags represented him as a red gamecock. B. M. 16638 £135.
	C. J. Grant. IT’S A TRUE BILL !!! Published 12th March 1831 by S. Gans. Southampton St. Strand. 9¼ x 13¼. Original colour and trimmed to the border. William IV dressed as a sailor holds a placard saying ‘Reform’ This is a copy of the W. Heath (or vice versa), which has the same title and date and which was published by McLean. Not in the B. M. See B. M. 16607 for the Heath. £80.
	C. J. Grant. COCKNEY SPORT. Published by M. Clarke, Castle Court, Cornhill. July 21 1831. 8½ x 10½. Lithograph with original colour. A watermark of 1831. Overall greyness to the paper. One of many prints showing the problems of ‘cits’ or cockneys when they take up the more middle and upper class pursuits. Not in the B. M. £125.
	C. J. Grant. EVERY BODY’S ALBUM. No. 6. Published by Kendrick 54 Leicester Sq. March 15th 1834. 110¾ x 16¾. Uncoloured lithograph. Tears outside the image area but not going into or past the double lined border. Slight marks. Above the small images is ‘The Trades Unions, - A General Strike’ The small images in the top half all represent different trades. The first one is, ‘Tailors.’ The young man is saying, “Brother Tailors. There are here nine of us to a Man & we have come to Resolution not to Work for less than a halfpenny per Stitch & a double allowance of Cabbage. If these measures are not acceded to we’ll Cut.” Not in the B. M. as after 1832 £80.
	C. J. Grant. EVERY BODY’S ALBUM. No. 21. Published by J. Kendrick 54 Leicester Sq. November 1st 1834. 11¼ x 18. Uncoloured lithograph. Two small tears on the right just touching the image. The heading over the main image is, ‘A Few Ideas Upon The Late Parliamentary Flare Up.’ And underneath the image is, ‘Burnt Out And No Mistake’ John Bull is on the right, the speech bubble coming from the group facing him say, “Pray bestow your Charity Mr. Bull upon us poor Burntout society of Coblers, Tinkers and Cabinetmakers, We were driven out in a dreadful Fire on the 10th of Oct. last which destroyed our place of Meeting & every vestige of our ancient Records & Secret Acts with other Valuables concerning our Benefits & Advantages…….” John’s reply includes “Eh! What! Ask me fore more money you Vagabonds having drained my pocket year after year…..” The ‘Burnt Out’ image is based on No. 59 in the political Drama series with some alterations. Not in the B. M. as after 1832. £80.
	C. J. Grant. MEN AND MEASURES. Addle-head Reviewing her chosen Ministry-a-la German. (Published by Drake, this is number 65 in the Political Drama series). 13¼ x 9½. Original colour trimmed to the image and with paper loss at the top corners and small tears into the plate. The Queen sits atop the King and is saying, “….. As you vere pefore de Reform Pill….I have chosen you, de staunch champions of corruption and de sworn enemies of de vile people, for mine own Yarmen Legion. ……de pattle will pe desperate – ve must first act with caution, propose a treaty of peace, and offer to concede to a few of dere measures, vitch dey vill of course accept – den is de time for us to plot dere destruction with secret bribes and corruptions….mine countrymen are arriving by hundreds every day py my orders, I have secretly distributed dem….” On the floor is a pile of canon balls beneath which is the label, ‘Pills to Cure all RADICAL diseases.’ The large canon has written on its plinth, ‘Machine to enforce all Tory Principles.’ The Tory politicians are Peel, Wellington, Lyndhurst, and (?) Ponsonby, (?) Aberdeen, (?) Charles Rowan. Not in the B. M. as after 1832. £185.
	C. J. Grant. FOLLOW MY LEADER. (Published by Drake. This is number 72 in the Political Drama series). 13½ x 9¼. Original colour, trimmed to the image. Paper loss in the lower left corner with some marks and small tears into the plate. Peel steps onto the, ‘MOCK REFORM ISLE’ followed by the Queen, Wellington and the King, who is loosing his crown in the sea. Behind him is the ‘REFORM ISLE.’ The Queen says, “Go along Pob, ve are shafe over, all but----Mine Pilly is von timid sugar doodle, he vants to go back again, but he shall sink first. Pull-a-hoy.” Not in the B. M. as after 1832. £185.