Cockney Sportsmen in Comic Distress, Seymour Etchings, circa 1836
€ 270
Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)
Date
1836
Mapmaker / artist
Robert Seymour & H. Wallis, London, circa 1836
Technique
Original etched engravings
Sheet size
25.1 × 15.7 cm (9.9 × 6.2 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-13806-173 & BG-13806-174
What the condition grades mean
Excellent
Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good
Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good
Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair
Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
Condition
Antique condition overall, with age-related toning, light foxing, and minor surface wear. Margins remain wide and attractive.
About this sheet
Robert Seymour Cockney Sportsmen Hunting Caricatures, Set of 2, 1836
This amusing set of two original 19th-century British caricature engravings captures the comic misadventures of the fashionable “Cockney sportsman,” a popular subject in early Victorian satire. Created after designs by the celebrated British illustrator Robert Seymour (1798–1836) and etched by H. Wallis, the prints were published in London by Thomas Fry around 1836 as part of the humorous series The Sketches of Seymour.
The first print, titled “A Man coming ‘vich vay? do tell me vich vay!”, depicts a frantic sportsman awkwardly scrambling over a fence while clutching his rifle, apparently pursued or startled while trespassing on private land. A nearby warning sign threatening punishment for trespass heightens the absurdity of the scene. The exaggerated pose, oversized top hat, and comic expression perfectly reflect Seymour’s mastery of social caricature and observational humor.
The second engraving, captioned “Septr. 1st. An only opportunity! – ‘I begin to think I may as well go back.’”, shows a hapless hunter standing miserably in pouring rain, perched awkwardly on a dog while carrying an umbrella and gun. The scene humorously mocks inexperienced urban gentlemen attempting country sports, a recurring theme in Regency and early Victorian satirical illustration.
Robert Seymour is best remembered as one of Britain’s great comic illustrators and as the original illustrator associated with Charles Dickens’s Pickwick Papers. His sporting caricatures strongly influenced later Victorian comic art and remain highly collectible today for their wit, lively engraving, and insight into early 19th-century British leisure culture.
These prints display beautifully framed together and work especially well in English country-house, library, or sporting interiors. Their elegant line work and understated humor also suit modern eclectic spaces.
Framing tips: These prints pair exceptionally well in matching dark walnut, ebonized, or traditional gilt frames with wide cream or ivory mats. A classic English sporting-style frame enhances the humorous Victorian character while giving the relatively modest image area greater visual presence.
