Item #144879 AUTOGRAPH LETTER, Signed, from John Tenniel to Horace [Mayhew]. John Tenniel.
AUTOGRAPH LETTER, Signed, from John Tenniel to Horace [Mayhew].
AUTOGRAPH LETTER, Signed, from John Tenniel to Horace [Mayhew].

AUTOGRAPH LETTER, Signed, from John Tenniel to Horace [Mayhew].

Single sheet, folded to form four small pages (two text and two integral blanks), the first page with a heavy black border; slightly soiled, with vertical and horizontal creases from folding for envelope; London, n.d. *Headed 'Haste' and with Tenniel's address by hand '3 Portsdown Road/Maida Hill West', the letter is undated except for the word 'Wednesday'. The black border is probably in memory of Tenniel's wife Julia. The couple were married in September 1853, and moved to the house in Portsdown Road, Maida Hill (owned by Julia's mother) after their wedding. Tenniel lived there for 55 years, but Julia died of tuberculosis in 1856, aged 31. Tenniel was said to be devastated and never remarried. Julia's mother become his housekeeper and lived with him until her own death. The property was originally numbered 3 Portsdown Road, but as the street filled in the numbers were redesignated - first as 5 and eventually as number 10. When Julia's mother died in 1877, bequeathing the house to her son in law, it was numbered 10, so this letter was written many years before that date. The letter is a cordial reply to a request from Mayhew for Tenniel to illustrate an unnamed work as a 'favour', to which the artist responds: 'Favour be hanged! I shall have much pleasure in doing what you propose albeit I have very nearly register'd a vow to make no more wood-drawings apart from the PP [Punch?] seeing that it only entails wexation o' sperrits [sic]. However I will gladly make this an exception ... so pray send the MS. with all convenient speed and I'll polish off the work of art at once...' Tenniel and Horace Mayhew (1816-1872) were colleagues at Punch, where Mayhew was for some years Mark Lemon's sub-editor. Tenniel was the principal political cartoonist for Punch for over 50 years. Item #144879

Price: $650.00

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