MACQUOID

Printed on one side of a piece of cream wove paper, roughly 41.5 x 60 cm. Central vertical crease. Fair, on lightly-aged paper. A little grubby, with a few closed tears and slight creasing to extremities. Consists of two rectangles (each 29 x 22.5 cm) in black ink, each containing four illustrations, surrounded by an ornate thick blue decorative border of intertwined mermarids, rowers, children in boats, swans, fishes and other aquatic motifs.

One page, 12mo. Very good. 'I see that to-day is mail day for the Cape, I therefore send you at once the signature for which you ask. I wonder how you discovered my address.' Accompanied by biographical cutting.

English artist and illustrator (1820-1912). Swain (1820-1909) was a noted wood-engraver, and the letter concerns his possible employment by Macquoid. Two pages, 12mo. Good, but on discoloured paper, heavily sunned along one edge and browning in one corner, with small closed tear at top of fold. Swain's price 'for Blocks will do - £8. 8. 0 for full page & £6. 6. 0 for front page -'. He has seen Williams 'who was very polite & promised me some work'. Williams is 'going to be married soon - wh: he said wd. "come in the way" of drawings at present'. Signed Thos. R. Macquoid'.