Proof of the title page for the 1861 edition of 'Quarles' Emblems' by Charles Henry Bennett, wood-engraving.

The title 'Quarles' Emblems' is encircled by a wreath of thorns, in a central rectangular border surrounded by rectangular borders of cherubs and grotesques on a rectangular portrait sheet of cream-coloured laid paper. The paper is pierced with a pinprick at centre top and at centre bottom of central border.

Proof of the title page to the 1861 edition of 'Quarles' Emblems' wood-engraving designed on wood by Charles Henry Bennett for the wood-engraver.

Purchased with the Assistance of the Friends of the National Libraries

Sold by Maggs Bros. Ltd. Rare books, autographs, manuscripts and miniatures to the V&A in 1998.

Historical significance: A minute on the file signed 'RW 6 Feb.1998' gives the following information about the W.Harry Rogers Archive:-
'It is extraordinarily rare to have this kind of documentation at this level of production for the middle decades of the 19th century. The fact the (sic) the state of the designs ranges from rough sketches to finished drawings and proofs allows the pieces to document the design process very closely.'

The date '1860' on the proof for the book illustration E.867-1998 and '1859' for the border E.890-1998 suggests that the proofs were drawn on the wood-engraving block in 1859 and 1860 for the 1861 edition of 'Quarles' Emblems'.

The border is signed with the monogram 'CHB' for Charles Henry Bennett which suggests that he designed the border for the title page. Conversely the inner square containing the title is signed 'WHB' which means that W.H.Rogers probably designed the inner sqaure and its borders on either side.

E.853-1998