Folio Archives 47: Jorrocks' Jaunts and Jollities by R. S. Surtees 1949
Talk Folio Society Devotees
Join LibraryThing to post.
1wcarter
Jorrocks' Jaunts and Jollities by R. S. Surtees 1949
This is a classic piece of mid 19th. Century satire. First appearing in the New Sporting Magazine in 1831, Mr. John Jorrocks' adventures were published as a series of articles. This collection of the best of the articles was first published in 1838.
Mr. Jorrocks is a relatively wealthy gourmandising London grocer, and the stories chronicle his attempts to penetrate the intricacies of Victorian society. Written very much tongue-in-cheek, it still describes in great detail (sometimes so much so that paragraphs can be skipped) the style of life at this time. Fashion, social mores, transportation (at a time just before the steam train was introduced), the management of servants and horses (often categorised together), styles of dress and attitudes to different classes are all explained.
Mr. Jorrocks is a keen fox hunter, and a member of the Surrey hunt, based at Croydon, and there are several fascinating descriptions of what fox (and deer) hunting were like in the 1830s. It is difficult to imagine that what is now deep suburbia around Croydon, was at that time rural fox-hunting territory.
Our hero also ventures to the Newmarket races, inveigles an invitation to the Lord Mayor's Ball, takes trips to the seaside, and even makes an overseas trip to Paris where he thinks he has penetrated into local society, but once again is hoodwinked.
The most amazing feature of this book is not only that it is printed letterpress, but that all 15 of the lively illustrations by Henry Alken are hand coloured in each book by a M. Johnson. That would have been a daunting task! All illustrations except the frontispiece are in landscape format and printed sideways in the book.
Folio 60 (44.5) describes a possible variant in 1952, that has never been seen, but may have had a dustjacket that had a plain unprinted back rather than an advertisement for The Compleat Angler. My copy's dust jacket has a plain unprinted back, but is firmly wrapped around a 1949 edition.
A facsimile of the second 1843 edition was printed by the FS in 1984.
The book has 228 pages, is 23x15cm., bound in red cloth, housed in a grey dust-jacket (no slipcase in this era of FS books), has a gilt printed leather label on the spine, and cost me the grand sum of £10 (for a hand-coloured letterpress book!).
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed at : http://www.librarything.com/topic/266300
This is a classic piece of mid 19th. Century satire. First appearing in the New Sporting Magazine in 1831, Mr. John Jorrocks' adventures were published as a series of articles. This collection of the best of the articles was first published in 1838.
Mr. Jorrocks is a relatively wealthy gourmandising London grocer, and the stories chronicle his attempts to penetrate the intricacies of Victorian society. Written very much tongue-in-cheek, it still describes in great detail (sometimes so much so that paragraphs can be skipped) the style of life at this time. Fashion, social mores, transportation (at a time just before the steam train was introduced), the management of servants and horses (often categorised together), styles of dress and attitudes to different classes are all explained.
Mr. Jorrocks is a keen fox hunter, and a member of the Surrey hunt, based at Croydon, and there are several fascinating descriptions of what fox (and deer) hunting were like in the 1830s. It is difficult to imagine that what is now deep suburbia around Croydon, was at that time rural fox-hunting territory.
Our hero also ventures to the Newmarket races, inveigles an invitation to the Lord Mayor's Ball, takes trips to the seaside, and even makes an overseas trip to Paris where he thinks he has penetrated into local society, but once again is hoodwinked.
The most amazing feature of this book is not only that it is printed letterpress, but that all 15 of the lively illustrations by Henry Alken are hand coloured in each book by a M. Johnson. That would have been a daunting task! All illustrations except the frontispiece are in landscape format and printed sideways in the book.
Folio 60 (44.5) describes a possible variant in 1952, that has never been seen, but may have had a dustjacket that had a plain unprinted back rather than an advertisement for The Compleat Angler. My copy's dust jacket has a plain unprinted back, but is firmly wrapped around a 1949 edition.
A facsimile of the second 1843 edition was printed by the FS in 1984.
The book has 228 pages, is 23x15cm., bound in red cloth, housed in a grey dust-jacket (no slipcase in this era of FS books), has a gilt printed leather label on the spine, and cost me the grand sum of £10 (for a hand-coloured letterpress book!).
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed at : http://www.librarything.com/topic/266300
2Jayked
Highly appropriate that some of the pages are foxed! The R S Surtees Society now publishes pretty reasonably priced editions of these books. but not, I believe, hand-coloured. Hand-colouring was also done by Folio for Daisy Ashford's The Young Visiters
3SimB
>1 wcarter:
The variant exists, and it is the copy you have! In the first printing, in the list of illustrations, there is a period after Mr (as in Mr. Jorrocks) but not in the second printing (Mr Jorrocks). There are some other minor other differences, including that the latter printing has a headband, while the first did not. Both printings are dated 1949.
A few years ago there was a thread about it, and I did swap a few emails with Paul Nash. He was always certain that this edition (which is in fact a second printing) existed because he had access to the FS print run numbers.
And, a few of us have the version with the unprinted back DJ.
The variant exists, and it is the copy you have! In the first printing, in the list of illustrations, there is a period after Mr (as in Mr. Jorrocks) but not in the second printing (Mr Jorrocks). There are some other minor other differences, including that the latter printing has a headband, while the first did not. Both printings are dated 1949.
A few years ago there was a thread about it, and I did swap a few emails with Paul Nash. He was always certain that this edition (which is in fact a second printing) existed because he had access to the FS print run numbers.
And, a few of us have the version with the unprinted back DJ.
6folio_books
>1 wcarter: The most amazing feature of this book is not only that it is printed letterpress, but that all 15 of the lively illustrations by Henry Alken are hand coloured in each book by a M. Johnson. That would have been a daunting task!
it's perhaps worth mentioning that all of the illustrations in all eight of Folio's Jorrocks series were hand-coloured by Maud Johnson.
ETA Coincidentally, there's a copy on eBay UK ending Saturday, currently at £2.49:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jorrocks-Jaunts-Jollities-R-S-Suretees-1st-Folio-Soci...
it's perhaps worth mentioning that all of the illustrations in all eight of Folio's Jorrocks series were hand-coloured by Maud Johnson.
ETA Coincidentally, there's a copy on eBay UK ending Saturday, currently at £2.49:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jorrocks-Jaunts-Jollities-R-S-Suretees-1st-Folio-Soci...
7terebinth
>6 folio_books: ETA Coincidentally, there's a copy on eBay UK ending Saturday, currently at £2.49:
Thank you for mentioning that (and thanks >1 wcarter: for this review): the copy remained at £2.49 and it's now here, along with Mr. Facey Romford's Hounds at the same price. I paid but £7.80 for the pair after combining postage.
The spine labels at least on my copies are gilt on brown blocked panels rather than on leather, as are the FS emblems beneath them, not that I mind in the least. I've already indulged a little in comparing the hand-coloured plates with the images here, and establishing that no rigid template was followed. Most colours are the same most of the time but a red jacket in one book may be blue or green in the other, or a plain garment striped. I am completely new to Surtees, so the next thing will be to see how I take to reading him.
Thank you for mentioning that (and thanks >1 wcarter: for this review): the copy remained at £2.49 and it's now here, along with Mr. Facey Romford's Hounds at the same price. I paid but £7.80 for the pair after combining postage.
The spine labels at least on my copies are gilt on brown blocked panels rather than on leather, as are the FS emblems beneath them, not that I mind in the least. I've already indulged a little in comparing the hand-coloured plates with the images here, and establishing that no rigid template was followed. Most colours are the same most of the time but a red jacket in one book may be blue or green in the other, or a plain garment striped. I am completely new to Surtees, so the next thing will be to see how I take to reading him.
8folio_books
>7 terebinth: Thank you for mentioning that (and thanks >1 wcarter: wcarter: for this review): the copy remained at £2.49 and it's now here, along with Mr. Facey Romford's Hounds at the same price. I paid but £7.80 for the pair after combining postage.
Always delighted to be an enabler! Those are tremendous bargains. Back in an earlier time (pre-internet, if you can believe such a thing) the Surtees books were easily the most sought-after Folio novels (see virtually every Folio magazine of the times). You couldn't get them for love or money. I do hope you enjoy reading them.
Always delighted to be an enabler! Those are tremendous bargains. Back in an earlier time (pre-internet, if you can believe such a thing) the Surtees books were easily the most sought-after Folio novels (see virtually every Folio magazine of the times). You couldn't get them for love or money. I do hope you enjoy reading them.
9mboyne
Much research that was done on the various Folio Society editions/printings of this book can be found at
http://foliosocietybooks.typepad.com/blog/2011/09/jorrocks-jaunts-and-jollities....
http://foliosocietybooks.typepad.com/blog/2011/09/jorrocks-jaunts-and-jollities....
10terebinth
>9 mboyne:
Thank you, diligent work indeed. Seems my copy, with its blank jacket rear and inner flaps and its several typographical failings, dates from 1952 rather than 1949 as stated.
I'm a sufficiently casual Folio Society watcher that I wouldn't have guessed at their producing a reprint, second impression, call it what you will, without any internal acknowledgment of the fact. Is it something they did at all often, and, if so, when did they stop: or have they stopped?
Thank you, diligent work indeed. Seems my copy, with its blank jacket rear and inner flaps and its several typographical failings, dates from 1952 rather than 1949 as stated.
I'm a sufficiently casual Folio Society watcher that I wouldn't have guessed at their producing a reprint, second impression, call it what you will, without any internal acknowledgment of the fact. Is it something they did at all often, and, if so, when did they stop: or have they stopped?
11affle
>10 terebinth:
My recollection is that the research work on this book was undertaken by SimB, a valued FSD from the underside of the world, and a specialist in the early FS books.
My recollection is that the research work on this book was undertaken by SimB, a valued FSD from the underside of the world, and a specialist in the early FS books.
12mboyne
Quite correct affle and apologies if I gave any impression this was my work. SimB is the one who deserves all the thanks.
13F.Trier
I recently came in possession of a custom leather-bound copy of the book that I thought worthwhile sharing with the FSD community.
The book is bound in quarter-morocco red leather (in spite of the apparent colour on the photos), with a tooling to the spine of four hunting related symbols. The leaves are from the 1949 printing as confirmed by the specific typographic characteristics of this printing.
Interestingly, the bookbinder used in this copy, Bayntun Rivere, have been doing leather-bound versions of the Surtees books by other publishers over the last 150 years. As they still are around today, I felt inclined to inquire them about the book. After contacting them, they confirmed that this copy most likely was sourced by themselves and rebound in the 1950's for their sales stock. This made me wonder if other books from the Surtees series that FS published in their early years had been made in a similar leather-bound fashion. If any other FSD have spotted similar versions of the book/Surtees series, please let me know.
The book itself is mint condition, with an added paper-guard between the first illustration and frontispiece as well as top gilding of the book.
The book is bound in quarter-morocco red leather (in spite of the apparent colour on the photos), with a tooling to the spine of four hunting related symbols. The leaves are from the 1949 printing as confirmed by the specific typographic characteristics of this printing.
Interestingly, the bookbinder used in this copy, Bayntun Rivere, have been doing leather-bound versions of the Surtees books by other publishers over the last 150 years. As they still are around today, I felt inclined to inquire them about the book. After contacting them, they confirmed that this copy most likely was sourced by themselves and rebound in the 1950's for their sales stock. This made me wonder if other books from the Surtees series that FS published in their early years had been made in a similar leather-bound fashion. If any other FSD have spotted similar versions of the book/Surtees series, please let me know.
The book itself is mint condition, with an added paper-guard between the first illustration and frontispiece as well as top gilding of the book.
14boldface
>13 F.Trier:
That looks really splendid. I like the way the leather has aged to give that range of tones. The illustrations look nice and bright, too. By coincidence, I'm half way through a reading of Jaunts and Jollities myself, although my copy is from a limited edition set of Surtees Novels published by Eyre & Spottiswoode/Charles Scribner's Sons, 1929-31. It's not leather-bound, though, like yours. I'm enjoying Surtees, especially the chapters which contain more social life and less hunting! The 1830s slang and jargon are sending me to the OED quite a lot, but it's fascinating to read his descriptions of towns and even inns I know.
That looks really splendid. I like the way the leather has aged to give that range of tones. The illustrations look nice and bright, too. By coincidence, I'm half way through a reading of Jaunts and Jollities myself, although my copy is from a limited edition set of Surtees Novels published by Eyre & Spottiswoode/Charles Scribner's Sons, 1929-31. It's not leather-bound, though, like yours. I'm enjoying Surtees, especially the chapters which contain more social life and less hunting! The 1830s slang and jargon are sending me to the OED quite a lot, but it's fascinating to read his descriptions of towns and even inns I know.
15F.Trier
>14 boldface:
Yes, I am quite fond of such "time-machines" that allow one to catch a glimpse of the life-style of the particular era. In this case, albeit only covered from one angle, I find the whole class attitude fascinatingly explained.
Yes, I am quite fond of such "time-machines" that allow one to catch a glimpse of the life-style of the particular era. In this case, albeit only covered from one angle, I find the whole class attitude fascinatingly explained.
16N11284
>13 F.Trier: I see that a copy of Handley Cross in a similar binding is on eBay UK.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/focAAOSwjE9e~YCT/s-l1600.jpg
No connection with the seller.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/focAAOSwjE9e~YCT/s-l1600.jpg
No connection with the seller.
17F.Trier
>16 N11284: many thanks for the heads up, it indeed looks almost identical in design to my own copy and even a bit more detailed tooling on the spine.
Having splurged quite a bit on the sale, I will hold a little with a purchase as it is not cheap (I paid around £20 for my copy shown above).
Having splurged quite a bit on the sale, I will hold a little with a purchase as it is not cheap (I paid around £20 for my copy shown above).
18bookfair_e
I recently had the good fortune to acquire a lot of four Folio Surtees novels with half-calf bindings, on ebay. There’s a little wear on the spines but I can happily live with it. I had slip cases made for them. Such a shame it’s not a complete set.
