Hogarth, William (1697 London 1764). The Beggars Opera. John Gay’s immortal opera – Act III, Scene 11 – in John Rich’s first night of 1728 at the sold out house. Engraving by Thomas Cook (c. 1744 – London 1818). Inscribed: Design’d by W. Hogarth. / Engrav’d by T. Cook., title as before. 24.8 x 28 cm.

With subtext :

“ Brittons  attend  –  view  this  harmonious  Stage
And  listen  to  those  notes  which  charm  the  age
Thus  shall  your  tastes  in  Sounds & Sense  be  shown
And  Beggars  Op’ras  ever  be  your  own. ”

“ In the former, all the characters are drawn with the heads of different animals: as Polly with a cat’s; Lucy with a sow’s; Macheath with that of an ass; Lockit and Mr. and Mrs. Peachum with those of an ox, a dog, and a owl. In the latter, several Noblemen appear conducting the chief Female Singer forward on the Stage … Harmony, flying in the air, turn her back on the English Playhouse, and hastens toward the Rival Theatre. Musicians stand in front of the former … ”

(Nichols).

“ The most important achieved hitherto by English poets in this kind … was given 63 times running and ousted the Italian comedy dominating till now completely from the stage. A sequel of that, ‘Polly’, was not allowed to be performed for the court and the archbishop of Canterbury took offense at that, but, printed on subscription, earned the poet the sum of 1200 pounds sterl. ”

(Meyers Konvers.-Lex., 4^th ed., VI, 960 f.).

Contrary to all later Hogarth editions in its original size. Cook “made himself a name as Hogarth engraver, too” (Thieme-Becker). – Below trimmed within the wide platemark, in the wide upper two weak water streaks.
Offer no. 7,581 / EUR  240. (c. US$ 386.) + shipping

– – – The same. Cook’s smaller repetition engraved together with his son. Inscribed: Hogarth pinxt. / T. Cook & Son sc. / Published by Longman, Hurst, Rees, & Orme, May 1^st. 1808., title as above. Subject size 13.9 x 17.4 cm.

In the opposite direction to Cook’s large first version, as to that by Hogarth. – Trimmed within the wide white platemark. This somewhat browned on the outer parts of two sides.
Offer no. 8,916 / EUR  146. (c. US$ 235.) + shipping

– – – The same in Hogarth’s own engraving. Inscribed: Design’d by W. Hogarth., title + subtext as above. 25 x 28 cm.

Impression from the plate reworked by the Royal Engraver James Heath (1757 London 1834) about 1822 on strong paper. “Even these impressions became relatively rare today” (Kunstgalerie Esslingen 1970). – As half size trimmed below within the wide platemark.
Offer no. 7,837 / EUR  176. (c. US$ 283.) + shipping

“ That would be great! I will send out a check tomorrow for … Followed by a payment in July then one in August. Thank you for your flexability. Kindest Regards ”

(Mr. L. A. F., June 22, 2004)