Handbill advertisement ornately printed in colours in imitation of an illuminated manuscript, announcing the establishment of a branch of his business in Pimlico, 'in conjunction with Messrs. Dubbins'.

Printed in red, black, blue, gold, orange and green on one side of a piece of paper, dimensions 20 x 12.5 cm. Good, on lightly-aged and spotted paper. Minor traces of stub on blank reverse. Attractive item, with twenty-six lines of rubricated text, surrounded by an ornated decorative border of foliage and birds in imitation of an illuminated manuscript. Headed 26, Queen's Row, Pimlico opposite the Royal Mews.', beneath which: 'Valentine Elkins Bookseller &c. of Baker St. Portman Sqe. Begs most respectfully to inform the Nobility & Gentry inhabitants of Belgrave Sqre. and its vicinity that at the suggestion of many of his most influential Patrons & Friends resident in the neighbourhood he has in conjunction with Messrs. Dubbins, opened an Establishment as above as Booksellers, Binders, Stationers, Engravers, Printers &c. [...] ILLVMINATED And other curious Old Books carefully collated, cleaned from stains, torn leaves repaired and deficiences [sic] copied in a very superior manner & bound in the old style in Vellum, Morocco &c. &c.' The word 'ILLVMINATED' in large blue letters surrounded by gold. Elkins was a Bourbonist who, according to one source, sold 'high quality silver medals of Henry V, inscribed with the date of abdication of Charles X, encased in presentation boxes of Morocco leather and velvet for the sum of ten shillings, and doing so with "official" backing'. In 1846 his wife died, and three years later he appeared before the Court for Relief of Insolvent Debtors, described as 'out of business or employ, and now of 16, New-street, Covent-garden, Middlesex, assistant to a printseller' (TImes, 31 December 1849). BBTI, which has Elkins at different addresses from before 1832 to 1839, and in a separate entry in 1846, does not note the Pimilco address. No record of Dubbins on BBTI.