Lot 226: MEADOWS, KENNY, illustrator. 1790-1874. Heads of the People: or, Portraits of the English. London: Robert Tyas, 1838-41.

Heads of the People: or, Portraits of the English. London: Robert Tyas, 1838-41.
26 parts in 23 (1st and 2nd Series). Two engraved title-pages and 107 engraved plates engraved by Orrin Smith after Kenny Meadows. 73 pp of publisher's ads (including the Heads of the People Advertising Sheet in parts 1-7 of 1st Series), 18 pp of other ads and the "Notice to the Reader" slip tipped in to part 3 of New Series. Original cream-colored pictorial wrappers, printed in sanguine in first series and in dark blue in second series. Some dust-soiling, plates in final part of first series darkened, very occasional offsetting from plates, some light chipping and glue to backstrips.

FIRST EDITION IN ORIGINAL MONTHLY PARTS of this satirical anthology of English characters and types. The wrapper is subtitled "taken off by QUIZFIZZZ." The essays include quite early publications of W.M. Thackeray and William Jerrold. Arents Books in Parts p 49.