posted on 01 Jan 2017

Charles Dickens 1812-1870 : A biography, with examples of the work his finest illustrators

This is a genuinely curious and fascinating book produced in 1962 by the high quality paper-making company Tullis Russell & Co. Rather cunningly Tullis Russell have linked the celebration of their first ‘150 years of fine papermaking’ with the 150th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens – although the papermaker and the author lived at opposite ends of the country and are only loosely held together by the fact that they are both big names in the publishing industry.

This volume is a limited edition (although limited to what number isn’t made explicit) and I suspect it was used to give away to influential and long-standing customers as a PR gesture. However, as you might expect, it’s rather beautifully done and it’s printed on the very best paper.

There is no author credited with the 25 or so pages of biography that I can see and I would guess that it was put together by a marketing team using plenty of secondary sources that aren’t directly credited here. To be honest, it isn’t the text that you’d want this book for but the rather splendid colour illustrations that sit on every other page.

Although the title seems to promise a range of illustrators, in truth only one is on show – ‘Sam’ Kyd. The attribution of the name ‘Sam’ is a bit of a puzzle here because these illustrations are clearly by Kyd, the pseudonym of Joseph Clayton Clarke (1857 – 1937). Kyd made his reputation for his high quality illustrations for Dickens novels and his drawings focus on the strongest element of the Dickens novels – characters. Kyd’s drawings clearly draw on those of Phiz (Hablot Knight Browne) but have an identity all their own. Kyd’s biographer, Richard Sawyer said of the artist:

"As a character 'Kyd' emulated those of Dickens and his own illustrations – slightly larger than life. In his style and dress he was mildly flamboyant for the period. He seldom varied his attire from a grey suit, spats, homburg hat, gloves and was never without a carnation or substitute flower in his button hole."

You’ll find eight full page, full colour drawings of some of the most famous Dickens characters including Fagin, Mr Pickwick and Sairey Gamp and I could easily see how an unscrupulous dealer might dismantle this slim volume in order to frame the prints and sell them separately.

That would be a great shame though because this odd little publication is a bit of publishing heritage and the sort of modest vanity project that very few companies might consider doing now  given the likely cost – you’re more likely to get a free wristband or beer-mat these days.

Copies can be found on the second hand market and you’ll probably have to pay between £10 - £20 for a decent copy. I paid literally pence for my copy so it might be one of those books that you keep an eye open for and grab when you see it – unless of course you’re a collector of publishing memorabilia, in which case you’ll need one of these.

 

Terry Potter

December 2016