Album of drawings by Edward Bradley (Cuthbert Bede) on diverse subjects, executed circa 1841-1872. The majority of the designs are humorous, some being made for Punch. They are variously signed with the name Edward Bradley or Cuthbert Bede. Most are in pen and black ink, with a smaller number of watercolors and graphite drawings. All drawings are on paper that has been affixed to the leaves of the album (rectos only), with some leaves containing as many as four small drawings. The album begins with a watercolor title page dated 1847--presumably the date when Bradley began the compilation.

Notable comic drawings include: a full-page drawing containing excerpts from Wordsworth's "Peter Bell" with drawings of the same -- "Mr. Boggles enjoys a month's sport with a sparrow club" -- "The performing monkey" in which the organ grinder's assistant engages in a knife fight -- "Cold versus sentiment" (with verse), published in Punch (1849), as "Sentiment versus influenza" -- "Two Christmas characters always welcome at dinner," depicting a dialogue between a personified ham (?) and pudding -- "Maxims & morals: the sweetest wine makes the sharpest vinegar," a commentary on marriage -- "Distressing collision off Margate," depicting a chance meeting outside a bathing machine -- an especially finished drawing satirizing the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, with a donkey painting a monk -- "The social pecksniff" (1850), a commentary on John Russell and the Blockade of Africa -- "A day in the life of a Skye terrier puppy" -- "The umbrella and nightcap dance," a scene from Love's provocations (published 1855) -- "Antony and Cleopatra playing at billiards" -- "Political plagiarisms, no. 1 ... Coleridge" -- "Mr. Punch's ascent of Snowdon" (four drawings) -- "Reading for honours in hearts: a long-vacation pastoral" (a courting scene).

Notable non-comic drawings include: two drawings of young women (bows in hand) at the Kidderminster Archery Club, the first of which is dated May 24, 1855 -- a full-page drawing of a man, graveside -- "The rook's garden," an illustration that appears to be absent from the work of the same title by Bede, published in 1865 -- "On board Windemere steamer, Sep. 26, '54" -- A full page watercolor of a long-haired man seeking alms, with a small child on his shoulders -- "Sketches on the road, no. 1, 'The Dart' [carriage], 1841" -- Portrait of a woman identified as Kate Hoeman (or Horman) -- A series of designs for a masthead of the London Figaro. The periodical debuted in 1870, from an office at 199 Strand. Bradley's designs appear to have gone unused -- Designs for New Year's illustrations, 1871/1872 -- "Dining hall, Durham Castle" -- "The Norman gateway" (Durham Castle) -- Scene of a farm woman plucking goose feathers, in Northumberland -- "Devil's Dyke, Brighton, Sept. 19, 1863" -- The Norman north door at Ribbesford church -- "Northumbrian 'Bondagers' drawn from life ..."

Wordsworth, William, 1770-1850. Peter Bell > Illustrations

Punch (London, England) > Illustrations.

Figaro (London, England) > Illustrations.

Street life > England.

Farmers > England > Northumberland.

Caricatures and cartoons > Great Britain.

Caricatures.

Portraits.

Watercolors.

Ink drawings.

Graphite drawings.