A Case in Bankruptcy

12mo, one continuous strip composed of 15 engraved illustrations (on 18 folding pages), each with caption below, 176 x 13 cm; some marking here and there, but overall clean throughout; concertina folding in to the original illustrated wrappers (9.5 x 13 cm); a little worn and dust-soiled, but still a desirable example nonetheless.

Scarce panoramic cartoon strip describing a case of bankruptcy and how to pull through successfully with the help of a lenient law court.

Watts Phillips (1825-1874) was a pupil of George Cruikshank and published caricatures in ^gPunch^g in the mid-1840s. 'Encouraged by his development as an artist by Cruikshank, Phillips went to Paris where he rented a studio, took lessons, and tried to sell his sketches. The revolution of 1848 drove him to Brussels, and then to England in 1849' (ODNB). On settling in London he worked mainly as a playwright and novelist, virtually abandoning art. His other panoramic works include ^gThe Queen in Ireland, or Mr Smithers's Unsuccessful Attempt to follow in the footsteps of her Majesty^g (1849); ^gThe Palace of Glass, or, London in 1851^g (1851) and ^gTo those about to Marry!!! How we (the Jones's) commenced Housekeeping with some Account of my Mother in Law, Mrs. Smith^g (1851).