This book is an exhibition catalogue signed and inscribed by J P Morgan, the title is “Original Manuscripts and Drawings of English Authors from the Pierpont Morgan Library, on Exhibition at the New York Public Library December 8 to April 1 1924 - 1925”, and it’s a presentation copy inscribed “Mr. Henry S. Rowe from J. P. Morgan April 1925” on the front free endpaper. J. P. Morgan’s signature is clear and easy to read.
The book is 55 pages long, with uncut pages, and it includes a notice on an uncut leaf near the end which says “Privately printed for the Pierpont Morgan Library by Bruce Rogers and William Edward Rudge, Second Edition”.
The covers are a blue cloth, with blank endpapers, and it comes in a blue slipcase with a white strip on it which says “Exhibited At The N.Y. Public Library From The Pierpont Morgan Library”. There are no Cruikshank illustrations - we thought there would be - but the first page of the book highlights Cruikshank’s works and puts him before even the Dickens books on exhibit - it says “Standing Cases” and lists Cruikshank’s works on display, then goes on to list books by Dickens and Rowlandson on display. Cruikshank is at the head of the list.
John Pierpont Morgan was an American financier, banker, and art collector, and one of the richest men in the world during the early 1900’s. He was the head of J. P. Morgan, the bank which ultimately became known as J. P. Morgan and Co. The Morgan Library was founded in 1906 to house Morgan's private library, which included manuscripts and printed books, as well as his collection of prints and drawings, and this book comes from that library.
The slipcase has a small loose strip on the bottom, but it doesn’t affect the book at all. The book measures 8 1/16 x 5 5/16 in. wide and is very clean and tight, and even though there are no Cruikshank illustrations in the book, we still consider this a worthwhile book for Cruikshank collectors - when and where can you find a book signed by J P Morgan that highlights Cruikshank’s works at the very beginning of the book?